Alternative Fueled Vehicles Part 2© Robert Moyer
Jun 1, 1999
Compressed natural gas has become very popular in recent years with several vehicles being produced with their sole fuel being such. In Bi-fueled vehicles, the operator has the option of using CNG or alternate fuel, such as gasoline. In CNG systems a pressurized cylinder is mounted somewhere to the frame of the vehicle, but some companies may mount it in the bed of a truck or in the trunk of a car. In buses it will be mounted in the roof because it is lighter than air and will travel away from the passengers in the event of a leak. Most will be equipped with a shutoff near the cylinder and another in the fuel line before the engine; the latter being your emergency switch. Some switches may not be marked. Firefighters should identify this type of system as similar to their self-contained breathing apparatus, with the filling station being similar to a cascade system.
Propane powered vehicles run along the same concept as CNG powered vehicles with a few differences. The main difference being, that when propane is used in vehicles it will be mounted under the vehicle most of the time. This is because propane is heavier than air and will sink to the ground away from the passengers. This could become a hazard if propane is allowed to enter storm sewers or basements.
Electric powered vehicles have been around since the early 1800's. Over 50,000 electric vehicles were produced between 1847 and 1914 from over fifty different manufactures. A new concept in electric vehicles is the hydrogen fuel cell. The vehicle would burn gasoline inside a fuel cell, convert the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and the fuel to hydrogen. The hydrogen would then be fed into a conversion cell to produce electricity which would recharge the vehicle battery cells. The batteries would then power an electric motor on the wheels.
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The copyright of the article Alternative Fueled Vehicles Part 2 in Emergency Services is owned by Robert Moyer. Permission to republish Alternative Fueled Vehicles Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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