Safety guidelines - CNG Vehicle
Safety measures:
Always use approved CNG kit & cylinder. It is dangerous and illegal to use substandard cylinder and fittings.
Do not install LPG, Propane or any other cylinder in place of a CNG cylinder. It is unsafe and unlawful.
It is advisable to have insurance coverage of the CNG kit along with the vehicle / accessories.
Always, park the vehicle at least 6 meters away from sources of ignition (fire).
Always refer to the CNG kit supplier?s manual for operating instructions and do not do trouble-shooting yourself, other than that recommended by the manufacturer.
Be aware of the location and operation of cylinder valve, master shut-off valve and burst disc in the CNG system.
Ask your mechanic to identify these parts for you. It would be helpful for emergency handling of any CNG leak.
Daily safety checks:
Make sure that clamps are tight and cylinder fixed properly and safely.
Confirm that cylinder valve is safe and valve wheel is in place.
Ensure that gas tubing is intact and supported properly.
Check for gas leakage from the kit by using soap solution.
In case of gas leakage from CNG kit:
Check out of the vehicle.
Do not start the vehicle. Push vehicles to a place out side the station in open Air.
Stop all activities in the vicinity, which can provide source of ignition, e.g. smoking, use of mobile phone etc.
Close down the cylinder valve/ master shut-off valve in the CNG system to control the leakage.
Call CNG kit retrofitter to repair the same.
In case of fire:
Evacuate the vehicle and surrounding place.
Take help of fire fighting experts ((101).
Extinguish the fire with water/fire extinguishers.
If feasible, close down the cylinder valve/ master shut-off valve in the CNG system to control the gas leakage.
Statutory requirements:
Endorsement of CNG or bi-fuel mode in Registration Certificate.
Annual checking of the CNG Kit and maintaining the certificate.
Hydro testing of the cylinder, once in 5 years, as per Gas cylinder rules.
Certificate of CNG Kit, Fitness and hydro test to be possessed by the driver all the time.
Maintain cylinders in good condition.
No repair to be done on cylinder and valves. No oil, Grease or lubricant to be used for cylinder.
Don?t change the color of the cylinder.
If safety disc has burst, replace it with genuine one. Do not allow make shift arrangements.
Do not allow cylinder for heat treatment. In case vehicle is undergoing repairs involving welding or heat application to any part (within 1.5 m) of the cylinder,the cylinder should be flush out with inert gas.
CNG :: Safety :
CNG has the narrowest flammability range, leading to slim chances of catching fire in the event of a leakage. Simplified, it means that the combustible mixture of natural gas and air does not ignite if the mixture is leaner than 5% or richer than 15% of the air-fuel ratio required for ignition. Thus, this limited inflammability range makes CNG one of the safest fuels in the world. Being lighter than air, in case of a leak, CNG just rises and disperses into thin air.
The CNG conversion kit is definitely safe, with the cylinders specially manufactured for use in vehicles being cast from a single piece of special steel alloy without any welded joints.
Moreover, each cylinder is provided with a pressure relief device (PRD) that consists of a fusible plug and a burst disc that ruptures in case of inadvertent high pressure and temperature.
The CNG fittings and cylinder valve are enveloped inside a vapour bag with an outlet vented to the atmosphere. Thus, in case of a leak, the gas is released into the atmosphere.
CNG is an environment friendly fuel. The natural gas is mainly composed of methane and its exhaust emissions consist of water vapour and a negligible fraction of carbon monoxide. The absence of carbon and other particulates result in negligible amount of harmful elements in exhaust fumes.
How does large-scale CNG usage benefit the country?
CNG emits less carbon dioxide and other pollutants as compared to liquid fuels. Thus, CNG contributes in lowering air pollution, also helps in improving the Balance of Payments by acting as a substitute for imported liquid fuels, provides more business and job opportunities with the opening up of a new sector, and being competitively priced, it appeases motorists
