Compressed Natural Gas Fuelling Stations
AGP Pratham | 12 April, 2024
The demand for CNG fuel stations has been increasing steadily in India, driven by a number of factors. One of the main factors is the growing number of CNG-powered vehicles on Indian roads. Many car manufacturers are now offering CNG-powered vehicles, and more and more people are choosing to buy them because of their lower fuel costs, better mileage, and reduced emissions.
Another factor driving the demand for CNG fuelling stations is the increasing awareness of the benefits of using cleaner fuels. With air pollution becoming a major concern in many cities, people are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. CNG is seen as a cleaner and more sustainable fuel source than gasoline or diesel, and many people are choosing to switch to CNG-powered vehicles as a result.
If reports are to be believed, India aims to set up a total of 3,500 CNG fuel stations by 2024. Furthermore, India seeks to construct a network of 350 LNG filling stations along its 6,000 km of golden quadrilateral highways. This may persuade thousands of truck drivers to convert from diesel to a cleaner fuel, resulting in lesser pollution.
However, before we dive further into the topic, let’s first understand the different types of CNG fuelling stations.
Types of CNG Fuelling Stations
Usually, a CNG fuel station consists of the following -
- CNG compressor
- CNG stationary cascade
- CNG dispenser
- Air compressor
- Mobile cascade
- Interconnecting piping with isolation valves, along with necessary safety interlocks.
Typically, the CNG compressor is connected to the underground natural gas pipeline distribution system.
There are three types of CNG fuel stations – Mother stations, Online stations and Daughter booster stations.
Mother/Online Station
Here, suction from a CNG compressor is connected to the underground Steel/PE pipeline that supplies the natural gas. Compressed natural gas is sent from the compressor to the dispensers and storage cascades. From there, it is delivered to the vehicle. The only purpose of the stationary cascade is to serve as a buffer for fast-fill processes.
From the Cascade, natural gas is supplied to the refuelling valve with the help of an electronic dispenser. As the CNG storage pressure drops, the compressor restarts to fill the cascade cylinders to the specified pressure.
The arrangement at CNG mother station & CNG online station is similar, except that at the online station, dispensing arrangement for mobile cascade mounted on Light Commercial Vehicle is not available.
Daughter Booster Station
The Daughter Booster station dispensing system is used in places where natural gas pipelines are not available. The source of CNG at daughter booster stations are the mobile cascades that are filled and transported from mother stations. Gas from the mobile cascades is transferred to public vehicles by means of a booster compressor, stationary cascade and CNG dispensers.
The use of a booster compressor improves cascade capacity utilization, speeds up dispensing at daughter stations, and decreases filling times. The compressors have a 250 SCMH capacity and a suction pressure of 30 barg.
Discharge of compressed natural gas (CNG) from a mobile cascade vehicle (MCV) occurs initially when a vehicle is linked to the dispenser; otherwise, CNG is off-loaded into the storage cascade, which serves as the CNG source afterward until the arrival of the subsequent MCV.
Conclusion
Given the initiatives by the Indian government to establish CNG fuelling stations, don’t be surprised if you find a station at regular intervals on searching for “CNG fuel station near me.” The demand is undoubtedly on the rise, and the gas industry is doing all it can to meet it.
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