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What is LPG?
LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas
The most important reasons for using LPG fuel are as follows:
- Environmental and pollution issues
LPG is a world-wide, environmentally friendly, fuel and is comparatively clean both from the standpoint of
carbon emissions and low hydrocarbons (70% of those of petrol), but equally importantly contains no PM10 toxic pollution/poison (smuts) most often ignored when comparisons are made with diesel engines (it’s the black stuff that you see coming from even the newest diesel vehicle tail pipes).
- Your engine
Internal engine deposits are less for all new, or at least healthy, petrol engines, so engine life is substantially increased due to reduced wear and tear on your engine.
- LPG is otherwise a waste by-product
As it is a by-product of oil production it would otherwise be burned off in the refining process and be wasted as an energy source.
- The Knock or octane rating
The octane rating for LPG is very high compared to other fuel (LPG ± 110 octane. Regular-grade petrol ± 92 octane and premium-grade petrol ± 95 octane).
- Storage.
LPG is easy to store as a liquid at ± 6 bar. (relatively low pressure and relatively very safe). This makes low cost tank options available, and allows good levels of fuel storage capacity.
- Oh and it’s a lot cheaper too !!
And it’s most likely to remain that way for some considerable time as the governments of the world face
higher and higher pollution taxes and environmental pressures. Last year hundreds of thousands of vehicles were converted world-wide, and in the UK 20,000 were converted. This year is set to see this figure rise by at least ten fold.
The essential components and basic understanding of an LPG system
- An (R67E certificated) LPG storage tank with all installed 4 hole fittings
(Ellipsoid or Cylinder) available for boot/load-space mounting or under floor mounting (petrol tank area with additional petrol tank in inner wing). Spare-wheel tanks are also available. We do not recommend the under-sill tanks (offered by others) due to ground clearance problems, fitting difficulty, bracketing costs, filling and gauge accuracy issues and the high addition to conversion costs coupled with their poor capacity.
- 3 separate electronic cut-off valves
These default to being closed unless powered up, so shutting off supply when the engine stops or the vehicle is not in use (standard in most good systems), and thus prevent gas seepage over time.
- A regulator/vaporiser
Regulator to vaporise the liquid gas and regulate the amount of LPG that goes to the engine. (the regulator working principal is not dissimilar to the basic functions of a Divers Breathing Mask (demand valve) in operational terms (for V8 the Tandem one is essential to give passive (economic) fuelling at low rpm and cruise, plus full capacity flow/power when the occasional kick down is required.
- A mainline flow adjuster
To adjust the LPG system to the engine (can also be further Lambda & throttle-pot controlled via a stepper motor for further efficiency).
- A mixer (supply ring)
To mix the LPG fuel with air before it enters the engine. Normally mounted on the carb or injection plenum intake.
- A petrol delivery shut-off system
At its most basic for carburettor models, or at injection levels, an injector simulator system for Efi Models which has the additional ability to fool the engine management (when on LPG) rather than shut it down which would cause engine management problems and default situations, especially with later engine management types (chipping is needed in all Gems applications).
- An ‘LED’ indicator and switch
To give a displayed indication of fuel level and to allow switching between LPG and Petrol use, also to offer the ability to choose between LPG or Petrol start (both options available).
- Idle and mixture adjustment ability
These are located on the Vaporiser, with computer hook-up ability for basic system settings and emissions criteria adjustments.
- All fittings, nuts and bolts and instructions
Brackets, stainless steel tank straps (where appropriate), tubing , LPG supply, filling lines and gas-type tubing, filler, instructions, adapter’s code of practice details, and additional details regarding our installation expectations to exceed the safety levels and issues of the LPG COP 11.
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