Advanced LPG system closes the gap
A new means of delivering LPG to the engine approaches petrol induction systems for fuel efficiencyEveryone knows that cars fuelled with LPG are generally cheaper to run than their petrol equivalents. But if LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) cost as much per litre as petrol, the positions would be reversed.
Petrol provides more energy per litre than an equivalent quantity of LPG, so the only cost advantage to operating vehicles on LPG stems from its significantly lower pump price.
At intervals, new LPG induction systems come along to improve on the fuel efficiency of older generation systems.
The latest system is called JTG ('Just Think Green'). Developed in Europe and sold through local company Australian LPG Warehouse, JTG improves on older VSI systems (vapour sequential injection), by delivering the LPG in a liquid state, rather than in a gaseous state.
Whilst the consumption of LPG in JTG-equipped cars is still as much as 15 per cent behind petrol in cars of a mechanically similar specification, the running costs remain lower than the petrol-engined vehicles and the quantity of LPG used represents an improvement of 10 per cent over older LPG induction systems.
Furthermore, the charge (the LPG and air delivered to the combustion chamber) is denser and cooler than an equivalent petrol/air charge, so JTG-equipped cars are actually more powerful than their petrol equivalents.
Most cars converted to run on LPG using a JTG system show a two to three kilowatt improvement in power, but a Falcon XR6 Turbo improved on its petrol power rating by 18kW.
"Being cooler than petrol, liquid gas provides more volumetric efficiency in the cylinder and a denser charge -- and this fuller combustion translates into more power," says Australian LPG Warehouse co-director, Hilbert Klaster (pictured).
The power improvement in the forced-induction Falcon came "straight off the cuff, without much tuning, so the performance potential is huge," according to Klaster.
Klaster's company already offers JTG conversion kits for large cars like the BA Falcon and recent model (VE and VZ) Commodores, but has also secured approval for the conversion of four-cylinder Camrys and Corollas.
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