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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NYSMART (Novel dual-fuel system for modernisation of air-polluting diesel locomotives to clean and efficient gas operation)

Teaser

Summary

Over 70% of all the worldâ€™s railway locomotives are powered by diesel engines, consuming more than 34 billion liters of diesel fuel annually. Diesel exhaust is known to be the third largest human-made source of toxic emissions that contribute to significant negative impact on human health and global air pollution. Such particles as fine particular matter (PM) cause a serious risk to health, increasing the likelihood of cancer and considered to be cancerogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Along with NOx and CO2 they cause negative cardiovascular and respiratory health effects; pollution of air, water, and soil; soiling; and damages to vision. In addition, diesel-powered vehicles facilitate ozone formation known as smog, acid rains, and overall global climate change.
To fight the increasing hazard, the European Union has set stricter limits on the exhaust emissions of new locomotives, leading to more complex technologies and, thus, higher costs of acquiring compliant engines, correspondingly new locomotives. European railway operators have now found themselves in difficult situationof modernizing their locomotive fleets and minimizing their ecological footprint, especially considering that 70% of the European diesel locomotives are at least 30 years old. Besides, the inefficiency of the engines of the old locomotives coupled with rising diesel prices have made fuel costs another major problem for rail operators worldwide â€“ costs of diesel fuel currently account for up to 60% of total operational costs.
To promote clean and efficient operations DiGas has pioneered NYSMART, a dual-fuel system for diesel engines based on a proprietary patented dual-fuel technology tailored for modernization of air-polluting diesel locomotives. Due to its modular design, NYSMART can be quickly and simply installed onto any diesel engine type. Once installed on the locomotive, it delivers PM reductions of 90% and lowers NOx and CO2 emissions by 30% and 15-20%, respectively. Additionally, the use of an advanced intelligent engine management system results in a 30% reduction in fuel costs, delivering a rapid payback for the customer while providing torque and performance matching or exceeding that of a diesel engine.
Overall, NYSMART project aims at bringing to market the innovative and cost-effective dual-fuel system and through it delivering a wide range of benefits. DiGas will tailor its dual-fuel system for various types of shunter locomotives and conduct field tests in operational environment. This will allow for independent verification and certification of the NYSMART system by relevant bodies. During the NYSMART project DiGas will reach Technology Readiness Level 9 for its dual-fuel system. By bringing to market a tailored, independently verified and fully certified product will allow DiGas to aim for a total addressable market of more than 70% of global railway locomotives which are diesel operated. This in turn will allow the company to commercialize the technology providing solution to a long standing problem described above at the same time increasing the competitiveness of the European Union, providing additional high skilled jobs and a cleaner and more sustainable means of transportation for all Europeans.

Work performed

During the first period of the project, DiGas has completed a variety of tasks that have led the technology closer to widespread commercial application, such as :
Finalizing the technical specifications of the system for delivery of the final product and full regulatory compliance
Confirming 5 type shunter locomotives and operators to run demonstrations
Developing extensive 3D models and drawings of NYSMART system on all shunter locomotive types
Improving functional, constructive, and performance specifications of NYSMART system components according to the performed tests in actual locomotive operations
Performing durability, vibration, and stress analysis of dual-fuel components
Affirming mechanical compatibility of the dual-fuel components to all types of shunter locomotives
Verifying NYSMART functions under simulated conditions according to the operational requirements for each locomotive type
Performing extensive field tests of the dual-fuel system in an operational environment that confirm the readiness of the technology for the market and mark TRL 8.
Increasing the awareness of NYSMART by such means as exhibiting in world\'s largest trade fair focused on the rail transport industry InnoTrans, featuring DiGas innovation in Euronews â€œFuturisâ€ series, and presenting and actively participating in the World Gas Conference

Final results

NYSMART seeks to establish methane in the form of bio, natural or synthetic gas as the new standard in the rail transportation industry displacing oil based diesel fuel. This objective is to be reached by providing enabling technology for widespread and scalable diesel locomotive modernization that allows cost-efficient and environmentally friendly bio, natural or synthetic gas operations. The transition in the fuels will not only benefit locomotive operators in terms of significant fuel cost reduction and compliance with future emission regulations but will also provide new business opportunities for gas companies, locomotive repair plants, compressed gas system component manufacturers, and notified bodies involved in certification.
The expansion of the gas application and adaption of NYSMART dual-fuel system is expected to positively affect the EU railway sector, which due to its size and significance, in turn, is likely to lead to progress of the EU economy altogether. Additionally, around at least 98 new highly skilled job positions are forecasted to be established within DiGas and companies in the supply chain. Perhaps most importantly, successful completion of NYSMART project and commercialization of the innovation would prevent 36.4 million kg of CO2 and 1.2 million kg of NOx from being released in the atmosphere by the year 2024 and result in almost complete removal of exhaust particulate matter. The reduced greenhouse gas emissions are expected to increase the health and well-being of European citizens and decrease healthcare costs for governments and insurance companies that are currently paying for the damaged health.