DEVELOPMENT OF CNG INFRASTRUCTURE

Compressed Natural Gas - CNG

“A Fuel of Future”

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 What is CNG?

• CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is a mixture of

hydrocarbons consisting of approximately 80 to 90
percent methane in gaseous form.
• Due to its low energy density, it is compressed to a
pressure of 250 Kg/cm2 (to enhance the vehicle on-
board storage in a cylinder) and hence the name
Compressed Natural Gas.
• Clean burning fuel.
• Potential for ultra low emission.
• Solution for reducing high levels of urban pollution
caused by conventional fuels.
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 CNG SUPPLY CHAIN
STEEL PIPELINE – NATURAL GAS CARRIER

19-22 Kg/cm2g 19-22 Kg/cm2g

CNG CNG
Compressor Compressor
250 Kg/cm2g Mobile Mobile 250 Kg/cm2g
Cascade Cascade
Storage Storage
Cascade Cascade

MOTHER
Dispenser Dispenser ONLINE
STATION
<=200 Kg/cm2g STATION
<=200 Kg/cm2g
CNG CNG
Vehicle Vehicle

Mobile Mobile
Cascade Cascade

Booster
DAUGHTER DAUGHTER
STATION Dispenser Dispenser BOOSTER
<=200 Kg/cm2g <=200 Kg/cm g
2 STATION
CNG CNG
Vehicle Vehicle

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 Typical CNG Station

• Four types of CNG stations are as follows:

Mother Station: Mother stations are connected to the

pipeline and have high compression capacity. These
stations supply CNG to both vehicles and daughter
stations (through mobile cascades).

Typically they have the facility of filling all types of

vehicles – buses/autos/cars. The Mother station requires
heavy investment towards compressor, dispensers,
cascades, pipelines, tubing etc.

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6
 Typical CNG Station

Online Station: CNG vehicle storage cylinders need to

be filled at a pressure of 200 bars. “On line Stations”
are equipped with a compressor of relatively small
capacity, which compresses low pressure pipeline gas
to the pressure of 250 bar for dispensing CNG to the
vehicle cylinder.

The investment in an online station is midway between

daughter station and mother station.

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 Typical CNG Station

Daughter Station: The “Daughter Stations” dispense CNG

using mobile cascades. These mobile cascades at daughter
stations are replaced when pressure falls and pressure
depleted mobile cascade is refilled at the “Mother Station”.
The investment in a daughter station is least among all types
of CNG stations.

There is reduction in storage pressure at daughter stations

with each successive filling. Once the storage pressure drops,
the refueling time increases, while the quantity of CNG
dispensed to vehicle also decreases.

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 Typical CNG Station

Daughter-Booster Station: Installing a booster compressor can

eliminate drawbacks of daughter stations. The mobile cascade
can be connected to the dispensing system through a booster.
Daughter booster (compressor) is designed to take variable
suction pressure and discharge at constant pressure of 200 bars
to the vehicle being filled with CNG. The investment in daughter
booster station is slightly higher than that of daughter station.

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Typical Daughter Booster CNG
Station

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 Benefits of CNG

• Very easy on the engine, giving longer service life and

lower maintenance costs.
• Established clean Fuel.
• Regulations already in place in Delhi.
• Large upcoming infrastructure base.
• Potential for ultra low emission
• Safest alternative fuel.
• Dry gaseous fuel does not dilute the lubricating oil, thus
saving on oil filters and oil chargers
• Freedom from adulteration
• Low running and operating cost

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 A CNG MOTHER STATION

BUSES BEING REFUELLED WITH CNG

 CNG MEGA STATION: A CONCEPT

With the increase in CNG buses, creation of CNG

Mega Stations was necessary.

Features:

 Large plot size

 Large numbers of compressors

 Facilities for simultaneous fueling of 4 or more

buses .
A CNG MEGA STATION FUELLING BUSES
A TYPICAL LAYOUT OF MEGA
CNG STATION
 TYPICAL COST OF CNG
STATIONS(Excluding land cost)

Mother Station with 1200 SCM /hrs Comp. : USD 1.0 MM

Online Station with 550 SCM /hrs Comp. : USD 0.64 MM

Online Station with 250 SCM/hrs Comp. : USD 0.60 MM

Daughter Station with Booster Comp. : USD 0.35 MM

Daughter Station : USD 0.29 MM

LEAD TIME REQUIRED TO : 7-8 Months

SET UP A CNG STATION

 DIFFICULTIES FOR DEVELOPING CNG
INFRASTRUCTURE

• Limited natural gas availability

• Uncertainty about conversion of vehicles

& CNG demand

• Lack of indigenous technology

• Capital intensive project

•
 CNG CONSUMPTION BY DIFFERENT VEHICLES

Type of Vehicle Average CNG Consumption Per Day

Private Car 3 to 5 kgs/day

Taxi 5 to 7 kgs/day

Mini Bus 16 to 20 kgs/day

Bus 45 to 55 kgs/day

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 CNG STATION FACILITIES
1. No of CNG Compressors :1 or 2

2. Capacity of CNG Compressors:1200 scmh/600scmh/400scmh

3. No of Dispensers : 2-arm car dispensers(2-6 nos)

1-arm bus dispensers (as rqd)

4. Stationary Cascades : 3000wl or bigger capacity 1

or 2 per stn

5. Canopy : As needed in the station

6. Customer Relations Center : one per station

7. Other facilities for the customers: As per requirements

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 SALIENT FEATURES OF
COMPRESSORS
 TYPE RECIPROCATING.
 CAPACITY 250 – 1200 SCM/HR.
 DISCHARGE PRSSURE 255 KGS./CM2G
 DESIGN CODE API-11P, OISD 179, NFPA-37, ANSI, ASTM, NEC,
NEMA, INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES AND
INDIAN EXPLOSIVE ACT.
 PRIME MOVER GAS ENGINE / ELECTRIC MOTOR
 SAFETY FEATURES PLC CONTROL WITH ALL SAFETY INTERLOCKS,
CO2 FLOODING SYSTEM, LEL DETECTORS,
UV/ INFRARED FLAME DETECTORS,
ESD SYSTEM, PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

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 PLC CONTROL

● THE UNIT IS DESIGNED FOR FULLY AUTOMATED,

UNATTENDED OPERATION.

● AUTO START, AUTO STOP, ALARM & TRIP ON

DEVELOPMENT OF ABNORMAL CONDITION THROUGH PLC
CONTROL.

● THE UNIT GOES INTO A SAFE SHUTDOWN MODE IN CASE

OF ANY FAULT.

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 SAFETY INTERLOCKS
SAFETY INTERLOCKS ARE PROVIDED IN THE PLC SYSTEM TO
GIVE AUDIO-VISUAL ALARM & TRIP THE UNIT WHENEVER ANY
OF THESE PARAMETER CROSSES THE HIGH/LOW LIMITS :

 HIGH DISCHARGE PRESSURE : EACH STAGE

 LOW PRESSURE : SUCTION, ENGINE LUBE OIL,
COMPRESSOR OIL
 HIGH TEMPERATURE : EACH STAGE, LUBE OIL, COOLANT
 GAS LEAKAGE IN THE PACKAGE
 FLAME DETECTION
 LOW LEVEL : LUBE OIL, COOLANT
 HIGH VIBRATION

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 LEL & FLAME DETECTORS
 2 NOS OF L.E.L. DETECTORS IN EACH PARTITION OF THE
PACKAGE PROVIDED TO SENSE GAS LEAKAGE

 2 NOS OF UV / IR FLAME DETECTORS PROVIDED IN EACH

PARTITION OF THE PACKAGE TO SENSE FLAME.

 THE SIGNALS OF EACH OF THESE SENSORS ARE

CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED BY THE PLC SYSTEM. UPON
SENSING PRESENCE OF GAS OR FLAME, THE PLC TRIPS THE
UNIT, AND ISOLATES IT FROM SUCTION LINE, CNG
DISPENSERS & THE CASCADES.

 IN CASE A FLAME IS SENSED, THE CO2 FLOODING SYSTEM IS

ACTIVATED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.
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 CO2 FLOODING SYSTEM

 THE COMPRESSOR PACKAGE IS PROVIDED WITH A CO2

FLOODING SYSTEM, WITH IS TRIGGERED BY SIGNAL FROM
THE UV/IR FLAME DETECTORS.

 ON DETECTION OF FLAME, CO2 IS DISCHARGED TO

EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.

 ADDITIONAL CO2 CYLINDERS IS PROVIDED FOR BACKUP.

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 SALIENT FEATURES OF DISPENSERS
CAR DISPENSERS
 TYPE FAST FILL
 NO OF ARMS 2
 FLOW RANGE 0-15 KG/MIN
 DESIGN CODE NFPA 52, NGV 4.2/A.G.A. 1-93, ANSI/NGV1,
NGV 4/A.G.A., AG901, IS 5572, IS 5571,
OISD 179 AND OISD 113
 SAFETY FEATURES OVER FILL PROTECTION, ESD MANUAL
VALVES, PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE,
BREAK-AWAY COUPLING WITH AUTO
CUT-OFF DEVICE
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 SALIENT FEATURES OF DISPENSERS
BUS DISPENSERS
 TYPE ULTRA FAST FILL
 NO OF ARMS 1
 FLOW RANGE 0-75 KG/MIN
 DESIGN CODE NFPA 52, NGV 4.2/A.G.A. 1- 93, ANSI/NGV1,
NGV 4/A.G.A., AG901, IS 5572, IS 5571,
OISD 179 AND OISD 113
 SAFETY FEATURES OVER FILL PROTECTION, ESD MANUAL
VALVES , PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE,
BREAK-AWAY COUPLING WITH AUTO
CUT-OFF DEVICE
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 SALIENT FEATURES OF CASCADES

 TYPE 3000 OR HIGHER WATER LITER

2200 WATER LITER
 NO OF BANKS 3 OR 1
 DESIGN CODE
 CYLINDERS GAS CYLINDER RULES 1981 & IS: 7285
 VALVES IS: 3224
 SAFETY DEVICES IS: 5903
 SAFETY FEATURES COMBINATION TYPE PRDs, MANIFOLD
VENTING OF ALL SAFETY DISCS

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 TYPICAL CNG STATION
SIZES AND LAYOUT

 STANDARD PLOT AREA 1080 SQ MTR

(36 X 30 MTR)
 NO. OF COMPRESSORS 1-3
 NO. OF CAR DISPENSERS 2-5
 NO. OF BUS DISPENSERS 1-3
 NO. OF STORAGE CASCADE OF 2-3
3000 WATER LTR CAPACITY
 STATION TUBING ( SS 316) ¾” (FOR SMALL VEHICLES)
1” (FOR BUSES)
 STATION DESIGN AND :AS PER OISD – 179/PNGRB T4S
SAFETY DISTANSES

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 INTER DISTANCES
FROM BUILDINGS AND OUTER BOUNDARIES
TO GAS STORAGE
TABLE-1

S.NO. TOTAL CAPACITY OF GAS MINMUM DISTANCE FROM

STORAGE UNITS (IN LTRS.) BUILDINGS AND BOUNDARIES
(IN MTRS.)

1 UPTO 4500 2.5

2 4500-10000 4.0
3 10000-100000 10.0

SOURCE: OISD - 179

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 INTER DISTANCES
BETWEEN VARIOUS FACILITIES OF
TABLE-2
NATURAL GAS HANDLING AT INSTALLATION
DISTANCE FROM
S.NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
(IN MTRS.)
1 CNG T-1
- 3 2 3 6 6
COMPRESSOR (MIN-3)
2 CNG DISPENSING
3 - 2 4 6 4 -DO-
UNIT
3 STORAGE T-1 T-1
2 2 - T-1 -DO-
CASCADES (MIN-6) (MIN-4)
4 OUTER
BOUNDARY 3 4 T-1 - 6 4 -DO-
WALL/CLF
5 MS/HSD T-1
6 6 6 - 6 -DO-
DISPENSER (MIN-6)
6 VENT OF MS/HSD
T-1
U/G STORAGE 6 4 4 6 - 6
(MIN-4)
TANKS
7 FILLING POINT OF
------------------T-1 (MIN-3)------------------- 6 -
MS/HSD

T-1 STANDS FOR TABLE-1

SOURCE: OISD - 179 30

 PLACEMENT OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
AS PER PESO & OISD-179

EQUIPMENT->
LCV STORAGE ELECTRICAL
FIRE COMPRESSOR DISPENSER
POINT CASCADE PANEL
EXTINGUISHER
DCP-10 KG 1 1 1 1 0
DCP-75 KG. 1
(ONLINE & 0 0 0 0
MOTHER)
CO2 – 4.5 KG.
0 0 0 0 2

FIRE BUCKETS 6 NOS. PER STATION

CO2 FLOODING SYSTEM FOR MOTHER COMPRESSORS.

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