Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
Module 1- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
I. Emissions
A) Photochemical smog
1. Formation of smog
a. thermal inversion and smog
2. Health effects of smog
a. respiratory diseases
3. Acid rain
B) 1990 Clean Air Act
1. History
2. Amendments
C) Types of alternative fuels
1. Gaseous fuels
a. CNG
b. LNG
c. Hydrogen
d. Hythane
2. Alcohol based
a. Ethanol
b. Methanol
3. Bio fuels
a. Biobutanol
b. Bioalcohols
c. Biogas
D) Five gas analysis
1. Federal test procedure
2. Local emission testing procedures
3. Five gas trace
a. hydrocarbons
b. carbon monoxide
c. carbon dioxide
d. oxides of nitrogen
e. oxygen
Lecture/demo time = 8 hours
II. Compressed Natural Gas
A) Domestic fuel source
1. Local supply
a. transportation of fuel to California
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
b. reserves
2. Storage
a. local storage depots/locations
b. site storage
3. Pricing
a. domestic source and pricing stability
B) Properties
1. Composition
2. Odorant
3. Comparison to other fuels
a. diesel
b. gasoline
C) Environmental impact
1. Emissions comparison
a. CNG vs. gasoline
b. CNG vs. diesel
c. CNG vs. ethanol
2. Mileage comparison
a. CNG vs. gasoline
b. CNG vs. diesel
c. CNG vs ethanol
D) Safety
1. Vehicle safety
2. Fueling safety
Lecture/demo = 4 hours
III. Compressed Natural Gas as a fuel
A) Light duty applications
1. OEM systems
a. computerized engine management
b. components
c. fuel vessels
d. maintenance service
2. Aftermarket systems
a. computerized engine management
b. components
c. fuel vessels
d. maintenance service
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
3. Tubing
a. Hoke
b. Swagelok
c. Parker Hannifin
4. Common components
a. manual valves
b. electric valves
c. ¼ turn valves
d. check valves
e. coalescing filters
f. high pressure regulators
g. inline filters
h. secondary regulators
i. maintenance service
5. Safety overview
a. vehicle safety
b. fueling vessels
c. site safety
B) Heavy duty applications for transit/school bus/truck
1. OEM systems
a. computerized engine management
b. components
c. fuel vessels
d. maintenance service
2. Aftermarket systems
a. computerized engine management
b. components
c. fuel vessels
d. maintenance service
3. Tubing
a. Hoke
b. Swagelok
c. Parker Hannifin
4. Common components
a. Manual valves
b. Electric valves
c. ¼ turn valves
d. check valves
e. coalescing filters
f. high pressure regulators
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
g. inline filters
h. secondary regulators
i. maintenance service
5. Safety overview
a. vehicle safety
b. fueling vessels
c. site safety
Lecture/demo = 40 hours
IV. Tubing
A) Quality of tubing
B) Fittings
C) Tube bending
Lecture/demo = 6 hours
V. Fueling and fuel vessels
A) Fast fill station
1. fueling compressors
2. operating a fast fill pump
3. fuel station safety and maintenance
4. 3600 vs. 3000 psi
B) Slow fill station
1. fueling compressor
2. operating a slow fill pump
3. fuel station safety and maintenance
4. 3000 PSI operating pressure
C) Home fueling
1. fueling compressor
2. operating a home fill pump
3. fuel station safety and maintenance
4. 3000 PSI operating pressure
D) Fueling vessels and associated plumbing
1. types of tanks
2. tank valves
3. check valves
4. tank location and fastening
5. tubing
E) NFPA 52
1. engine fuel systems
2. CNG Compression, storage, and dispensing
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
Lecture/demo = 8 hours
VI. Site safety
A) Local regulations
1. local city regulations
2. State regulation
3. Site compliance
B) NFPA 52
1. general, CNG and equipment qualifications
2. residential fueling facility
Lecture/demo = 4 hours
Module 2 - Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
I. LNG fuel vessel
A) Construction of tank
1. Insulation factor(s)
2. Health effects of smog
3. Pressure gauge
4. Level gauges
5. Mounting of tank
Lecture/demo = 2 hours
II. Physics
A) Boyles Law
B) Charles Law
C) Pressure Law
D) Saturation Line
Lecture/demo = 4 hours
III. Tank Plumbing
A.) Pressure relief valve
1. primary pressure relief valve
2. secondary pressure relief valve
B.) Evacuation plug
1. theory of operation
2. vacuum jacket
C.) Manual shut-off valve
1. location
2. theory of operation
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
D.) Excess flow valve
1. location
2. theory of operation
E.) Manual vent valve
1. location
2. theory of operation
F.) System check valve
1. location
2. theory of operation
G.) Economizer valve
1. location
2. theory of operation
H.) Vaporizer assembly
1. location
2. theory of operation
I.) Fuel shut-off solenoids
1. location
2. theory of operation
Lecture/demo = 4 hours
IV. Refueling
A.) Safety equipment
1. Clothing
2. Apron, gloves and shoes
B.) Fueling nozzle and hose
C.) Refueling process.
Lecture/demo = 2 hours
V. Leak Testing
A.) Commercial leak detection solutions
B.) Electronic methane detector
Lecture/demo = 2 hours
VI. Leak Repair
A.) Generic sealants
B.) Loctite
C.) Primers
Lecture/demo = 2 hour
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
VII. Insulation Test
A.) Manufacturer specifications and procedures
Lecture/demo = 2 hour
VIII. Fuel Level Gauge Diagnosis
A.) Manufacturer specifications and procedures
Lecture/demo = 2 hour
Module 3 - Bio Fuels
I. Ethanol
A) Photochemical smog
1. Formation of smog
a. thermal inversion and smog
2. Health effects of smog
a. respiratory diseases
3. Acid rain
B) Economics and home land security
1. Economy and jobs
2. Energy security and independence
3. Crude oil import
4. Fueling infrastructure
C) Fuel or food
1. Sustainability and consumption
a. farming issues
2. Ethanol from algae
3. Ethanol from sugar and starch crops
4. Ethanol from cellulosic bio mass
D) Ethanol vs. other viable fuels
1. Ethanol vs. Gasoline
a. Energy density
b. Stoichiometric ratios
c. MPG differential
d. Driveability issues
e. Additional vehicle cost/modification
2. Ethanol vs. CNG
a. Energy density
b. Stoichiometric ratios
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
c. MPG differential
d. Driveability issues
e. Additional vehicle cost/modification
3. Ethanol vs. Diesel
a. Energy density
b. Stoichiometric ratios
c. MPG differential
d. Driveability issues
e. Additional vehicle cost/modification
E) Vehicle platforms
1. Domestic vehicles
2. Asian imports
3. European
Lecture/demo time = 8 hours
II. Bio-diesel
A) Photochemical smog
1. Diesel emissions
a. Particulate matter
b. NOx
2. Health effects of diesel particulates and NOx
a. Respiratory diseases
3. Specialized vehicle emission/s treatment devices
B) Diesel
1. Import of crude oil
2. Refining process
a. standards
b. cost/s
3. Fuel properties
a. cetane rating
b. energy density
c. stoichiometry
d. BTU content
e. weight
C) Green diesel
1. Refining process
a. standards
b. cost/s
2. Fuel properties
a. cetane rating
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
b. energy density
c. stoichiometry
d. BTU content
e. weight
D) Plant based Bio-diesel
1. What is Bio-diesel
a. food or fuel
b. farming aspects
c. politics
d. economics of bio-diesel
e. fueling infrastructure
f. environmental
2. Crop/s
a. algae
b. tallow
c. palm oil
d. jatropha
e. coconut oil
f. rapeseed
g. soy
h. peanut
i. sunflower
j. hemp
3. Refining process
a. standards
b. production
c. cost/s
d. blends
4. Fuel properties of each crop
a. cetane rating
b. energy density
c. stoichiometry
d. BTU content
e. weight
E) Bio-diesel and OEM acceptance
1. Domestic vehicles
a. blends
b. specialized vehicular equipment
c. warranty issues
2. Asian imports
a. blends
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
b. specialized vehicular equipment
c. warranty issues
3. European
a. blends
b. specialized vehicular equipment
c. warranty issues
4. Farm equipment
a. public acceptance
b. blends
c. specialized vehicular equipment
d. warranty issues
Lecture/demo time = 12 hours
Module 4
Hybrid, Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicle Technology
I. Transportation, past, present and future
A) Alternative fueled vehicles, past
1. Electric
2. Bio fueled vehicles
3. Hydrocarbon based fueled vehicles
B) Alternative fueled vehicles, present
1. Electric
2. Bio fueled vehicles
3. Hydrocarbon based fueled vehicles
4. Hybrid vehicles
C) Alternative fueled vehicles, future
1. Electric
2. Fuel cell
3. Electric hybrid
Lecture/demo = 6 hours
II. Hybrid vehicles
A) Light duty
1. Safety
a. SAE standards
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
2. Emissions
a. Compared to conventional internal combustion engines
3. Fuel economy
a. Compared to conventional internal combustion engines
b. Highway mileage vs. city
4. Toyota drivetrain
a. Theory of operation
b. Battery technology
c. Hybrid cooling system
d. Service/maintenance
e. Auxiliary systems
5. Honda drivetrain
a. Theory of operation
b. Battery technology
c. Hybrid cooling system
d. Service/maintenance
e. Auxiliary systems
6. Nissan Drivetrain
a. Theory of operation
b. Battery technology
c. Hybrid cooling system
d. Service/maintenance
e. Auxiliary systems
7. GM Drivetrain
a. Theory of operation
b. Battery technology
c. Hybrid cooling system
d. Service/maintenance
e. Auxiliary systems
B) Heavy duty
1. Safety
2. Emissions
3. Fuel economy
4. Transit applications
a. Different systems and applications
b. Theory of operation
c. Battery technology
d. Hybrid cooling system
e. Service/maintenance
f. Auxiliary systems
5. Truck applications
a. Theory of operation
b. Battery technology
c. Hybrid cooling system
d. Service/maintenance
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
e. Auxiliary systems
Lecture/demo = 20 hours
III. Electric Vehicles
A.) Safety
1. Equipment
2. Personal protection
B.) Environmental
1. Emissions
2. Fuel economy
3. Charging
C.) An introduction to light duty electric vehicles
1. Nissan
2. Mitsubishi
3. Miles
4. Coda
5. Zap
6. E tracer
7. Tesla
8. Others
Lecture = 8 hours
IV. An Introduction to Fuel Cell Vehicle Technology
A.) Safety
1. Equipment
2. Personal protection
B.) Environmental
1. Emissions
2. Fuel economy
3. Hydrogen refueling and infrastructure
C.) California Fuel Cell Partnership
1. Mission
2. Membership
3. Achievements
D.)Fuel cell technology
1. Fell cell technology
Introduction to Alternative Fuels – Course Outline
a. Theory of operation
b. Electric traction motor
c. Electrical/electronic systems
d. Fuel vessels and refueling
e. On board reformation
f. On board battery
g. Projected vehicle cost
h. Emergency response guides
i. Educational
1. FuelCellStore
2. Educational experiments
Lecture/demo = 10 hours