Westport Innovations has unveiled the next generation of its high pressure, direct injection natural gas technology platform, Westport HPDI 2.0.
The company is already working with seven truck manufacturers to implement the system, expecting the first customer products to be available in late 2014 and early 2015.
The new HPDI uses natural gas as the primary fuel in a diesel (compression ignition) cycle along with a small amount of diesel fuel as an ignition source. Core to the approach is a patented injector with a dual-concentric needle design. This allows small quantities of diesel fuel and large quantities of natural gas to be delivered at high pressure to the combustion chamber.
Westport HPDI 2.0 is claimed to deliver performance and fuel economy equivalent to that of current high performance diesel-fuelled engines, but with diesel substitution of more than 90 per cent. This combination of high performance and high efficiency is said to be critical for heavy-duty engines in demanding commercial application.
HPDI 2.0 continues the evolution of Westport natural gas storage and delivery systems with a new generation of proprietary fuel tank, fuel pump, and system controls which match the vehicle range, performance, and drive-ability of diesel whether the vehicle is a long-haul truck, a locomotive, or a ship.
The on-engine gas fuel conditioning module is designed for more precise pressure control for even lower engine emissions and better fuel economy. New sealing is designed for longer durability, with a smaller size for ease of packaging on the engine. Redesigned electronic control systems allows full integration with existing engine and vehicle controls.
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