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The overall goal of the smart compressed natural gas (CNG) station deployment project is to develop an advanced vehicle and station solution for maximizing a CNG fill with or without pre-cooling of the natural gas. The project includes the development, demonstration, and field deployment of sensors, software, and communication systems on multiple smart vehicles and dispensers, programmed with an advanced control algorithm to maximize full fills. In addition, several of the demonstration locations include CNG pre-cooling to help overcome the heat of compression during a fill that causes CNG tanks to reach their pressure limit before they are full. The combination of these technologies helps solve the issue of elevated pressures from heat of compression that result in natural gas vehicles being under-filled and alleviates driver uncertainty about the vehicle's remaining range.

For more information on this project, check the Technology Integration 2020 Annual Report or Annual Merit Review presentation.

The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate a more accurate and effective driver information system for any natural gas vehicle (NGV) that includes a prediction of the remaining miles-to-empty, within 5% or 25 miles (whichever is greater) at any time during vehicle operation. The predictive model of miles-to-empty requires knowing the amount of fuel energy on the vehicle and the required fuel for the route, based on real-time traffic conditions, speed profile, and weather, among other parameters. This can allow for a reduction of on-board fuel capacity and frequency of fueling stops while increasing the driver's confidence in the remaining range of the vehicle.

For more information on this project, check the Technology Integration 2020 Annual Report or Annual Merit Review presentation.

The objectives of the NGV UPTIME Analysis project are to quantify the difference in maintenance costs between diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) freight and goods movement vehicles; identify and quantify technology and process improvements between older and newer generation natural gas vehicles (NGVs); and assess individual NGV fleets to identify opportunities to enhance operations using current and past NGV and diesel fleet data. The analysis findings are showcased by end-use application, engine/fuel system manufacturer, and vehicle chassis manufacturer, among others, to determine specific research, development, and outreach needs by application.

For more information on this project, check the Technology Integration 2020 Annual Report or Annual Merit Review presentation.