Mr. Jack Keaton reports

WESTPORT UNVEILS ITS PROPRIETARY ENHANCED SPARK-IGNITED NATURAL GAS SYSTEM TARGETING MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCK APPLICATIONS

Westport Innovations Inc. today is unveiling its newest proprietary technology, the first generation of enhanced spark-ignited (ESI) natural gas system. Westport's new revolutionary approach to natural gas combustion technology is designed to provide vehicle and engine original manufacturers with a downsized natural gas solution that is cost competitive while providing similar levels of power, torque and fuel economy to a larger diesel engine. Using 100-per-cent dedicated natural gas as fuel, Westport's new technology optimizes the combustion and thermal efficiencies of the engine by taking advantages of the positive properties of natural gas.

Developed to meet the highest level of OEM quality standards, Westport's new combustion system and components have been undergoing testing and offer ready integration into OEM applications globally. Its durability and reliability levels are expected to meet an OEM's extensive engine development program. The Westport ESI combustion system is targeted at subnine-litre engines for Class 6 and 7 truck applications and is also adaptable for subtwo-litre applications for use in automotive and non-automotive applications.

"As gasoline and diesel engines progress, it is critical that OEMs offer natural gas engines that retain their expected performance while providing the environmental and economic benefits of natural gas," said Jack Keaton, Westport vice-president of global spark ignited direct injection. "Westport is taking its technology leadership to the next level by introducing a long-term technology solution that allows improvements in engine performance and fuel economy, thus offering highly attractive operating costs and [a] low emissions profile. As the ESI technology continues to be developed, Westport will incorporate competitive performance upgrades to support the longevity of this system."

Key features of Westport ESI natural gas system:

• Optimized for spark-ignited engines:
  • Improvements in combustion and thermal management compared with typical spark-ignited natural gas engines ultimately enhance the engine's reliability.
• Designed to provide up to 10-per-cent improvement in power and torque over the base diesel engine:
  • Higher performance from a spark-ignited natural gas engine compared with a diesel engine potentially allows a four-litre natural gas engine to replace a six-litre diesel engine, which results in substantial mass reduction.
• Comparable fuel economy with diesel engine:
  • By taking advantage of the positive properties of natural gas -- for example, natural gas has less calorific energy compared with diesel -- Westport believes that it is able to improve the fuel economy of a typical spark-ignited natural gas engine. In addition, cooled exhaust gas recirculation is applied, which is a known mechanism for improving fuel efficiency used extensively in passenger vehicles.
• Designed to provide up to 40-per-cent brake thermal efficiency:
  • Brake thermal efficiency measures how much fuel is converted to useful energy. Typical spark-ignited natural gas engines have approximately 25-per-cent to 30-per-cent brake thermal efficiency, and diesel engines have approximately 41-per-cent brake thermal efficiency.
• Designed to provide up to 5-per-cent weight reduction compared with the base diesel engine:
  • Weight is a critical element for truck fleets, so any reduction in engine weight equals an increase in payload.
• Fuel injection:
  • The current system utilizes port injection, providing better cylinder-to-cylinder control of the air fuel ratio. However, it is designed for upgrades to future technologies.
• Incorporates key Westport engine components:
  • This includes the Westport WP580 engine management system and Westport fuel system components.
• Stoichiometric operation and three-way catalyst aftertreatment:
  • Three-way catalysts are effective, simple devices packaged as part of the muffler that provide consistent emission-control performance and are maintenance free. By using 100 per cent natural gas, there is no requirement for diesel-particulate-filter or selective-catalytic-reduction systems. This allows cost and weight reduction over a base diesel engine.
• Expected to meet the most rigorous emissions levels:
  • Westport ESI is designed to meet the latest emission regulations, including Euro VI and United States Environmental Protection Agency 2014 standards.
• Compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas capability:
  • Every natural gas engine burns CNG. Ultimately, the customer will decide which form of natural gas they wish to carry -- either high-pressure CNG or cold cryogenic LNG -- based on a number of variables, including, but not limited to, weight of the load, weight of the fuel storage system, range required by the vehicle and availability of CNG and LNG.

Westport is currently in various stages of development and negotiation with several vehicle and engine OEMs for ESI applications in medium-duty truck and automotive applications.

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