Dual-Fuel Technology
SQT is a leading industry player offering complete conversion of existing diesel engines into dual-fuel engines.
Robust and Safe Dual-Fuel Technology Solutions
SQT dual fuel system has best-in-class multi-level safety features such as knock sensing & controlling, exhaust temperature monitoring of each cylinder, coolant and oil temperature monitoring, intake manifold banks temperature difference monitoring (for V-type engine), torque & power estimation and control, etc.
If there is any issue in the dual-fuel mode e.g. knocking, higher temperature, high torque or power, etc., then the ECU switches the engine automatically into diesel-only mode.
SQT has a dedicated and experienced team of engineers for the modification/conversion, calibration, and testing of dual-fuel engines.
Defining Dual-Fuel Engines
The Mechanics and Uses of Dual-Fuel Engines
Dual-fuel technology is suitable for Compression Ignition (CI) engines, which mainly operate with diesel fuel. The dual-fuel engines have a primary fuel (usually diesel) and a secondary fuel (e.g. CNG, LNG, Bio-CNG, hydrogen, methanol, etc.).
Dual-fuel engines can also operate in mono-fuel mode, using diesel fuel only (also known as diesel-only mode), if the secondary fuel is temporarily unavailable. However, these engines cannot run with secondary fuel only as diesel injection is required to initiate the combustion. In Dual-fuel mode, the secondary fuel replaces the diesel up to a certain percentage, and the combustion of both fuels together provides lesser emissions and improved fuel economy. The percentage of diesel fuel substituted by secondary fuel is known as “diesel substitution”
Dual-fuel technology is more suitable and economically viable for bigger-size engines and hence is used for applications such as locomotives, Genset, mining, industrial equipment, etc.
Benefits of Dual-Fuel Engines
- Required limited engine-level hardware modification
- Dual-fuel engines can run on the diesel-only mode
- No compromise in torque and power output
- Lower emissions
- Increased fuel economy
Challenge of Dual-Fuel Engines
- Challenges in transient engine operation
- Higher knocking tendency
- Limited diesel substitution
- High cost of conversion, not economically viable for smaller-size engines
Evolving Dual-Fuel Solutions
Fumigation vs. Single-Point Injection
Fumigation Technology
Fumigation, also known as carburation, is an older fuel induction technology. In fumigation technology, the secondary fuel (e.g. natural gas) is mixed with intake air before the turbocharger and the mixture of secondary fuel and intake air is introduced into each cylinder of the engine during the intake stroke. The primary fuel (i.e. diesel) is injected directly into the combustion chamber in the conventional manner.
Fumigation systems are relatively simple and can be retrofitted onto existing diesel engines with minimal modifications. However, this technology has limitations related to poor fuel control, non-uniform fuel distribution among cylinders, and higher pumping losses. Due to these limitations, fumigation-based dual-fuel engines have limited diesel substitution and relatively lower efficiency.
Single Point Fuel Injection Technology
As technology progressed, single-point fuel injection systems emerged as an improvement over fumigation. In single-point injection systems, the secondary fuel is injected prior to the intake manifold. This technology enables precise fuel control, resulting in better combustion efficiency and reduced emissions compared to fumigation.
Dedicated dual-fuel ECU offers multiple benefits such as on-board diagnostics, real-time engine protection, remote data monitoring, alarms & warning system, knock sensing and controlling, exhaust/coolant/oil temperatures monitoring, torque/power estimation and control, etc.
- Precise fuel quantity control
- Uniform fuel distribution among cylinders
- Enhanced efficiency
- Lower emissions
- Higher diesel substitution
- Higher safety and on-board diagnostics.