CNG Tips
Very Important CNG Station design and development tips as well as information on CNG Fill station service and preventive maintenance.
Get Your 2018 – 2020 CNG Tax Credit
CNG Tax Credit aka 50-Cent Fuel Credit aka Alternative Fuel Excise Tax Credit aka Excise Tax Credit now available for all sales 2018-2020. We have been getting some calls from people asking to assist with the proper way to file for the CNG tax credit. We thought sharing this insight would help to bring some clarity and help many to understand the process. ACT NOW, as this important development will add a significant amount to your CNG Station bottom-line performance for the last 2 years. So recently the Public Law 116-94 retroactively...
read moreCNG Station Business Models
CNG Station Business Models Compressed natural gas (CNG) station business models traditionally fall into three distinct paradigms of ownership and business strategy. The business models discussed in this section are Fleet or End-User Ownership, Local Distribution Company (LDC) Ownership, and Third-Party Ownership. These business models arise out a number of key variables: KEY VARIABLES Who owns the station Fuel delivery service: time-fill, fast-fill, or combination Who maintains and operates the station Station accessibility: public, private,...
read moreCNG Station Financing
Finding CNG station financing is challenging due to: 1) Relatively new Natural Gas Fueling Station industry development stage 2) Difficulties in finding enough CNG commitments (load) on monthly basis to cover debt service 3) Determining the true cash flow of the business 4) Most lenders are looking for borrowers with prior experience operating CNG gas stations. It is important to seek assistance from a lender who is experienced in funding CNG gas stations, understands the specifics of this business and has a strong track record. It is also...
read moreCNG Fueling Station Maintenance
CNG Fueling Station Maintenance Overview & Commonly Overlooked Items Effective CNG fueling station maintenance can determine the success or failure of both a CNG station and the overall NGV program. Yet main tenance is perhaps the most critical but often overlooked issue affecting most CNG fueling stations. In many areas, there is a severe lack of experienced and qualified maintenance and repair technicians. In this technical paper, NGVi outlines the why, what, who, when and how of having a proactive CNG fueling stations maintenance plan...
read moreTotal Cost Converting to CNG with CNG Station
Many fleets and municipalities are not making a commitment to use natural gas as a transportation fuel because the fleet managers do not have enough information to accurately estimate the total cost converting to CNG including CNG vehicle conversion, CNG fueling station development and all other tasks and costs associated with the process. An article below does a great job painting a big picture and we are glad to share it with you, our customers and subscribers. Please do not hesitate to contact us for a feasibility study applicable for your...
read moreDehydration of Natural Gas, water in CNG
Natural Gas usually contains significant quantities of water vapor. Changes in temperature and pressure condense this vapor altering the physical state from gas to liquid to solid. This water must be removed in order to protect the system from corrosion and hydrate formation. In 1810, an English scientist by the name of John Dalton stated that the total pressure of a gaseous mixture is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the components. This statement, now known as Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures, allows us to compute the...
read moreFirst step to build reliable CNG station
When our customers ask us about the most important tip to build a solid and reliable CNG station we tell them that it all starts with properly securing your compressor and other equipment to the base. We encourage them to bolt any of the CNG fueling equipment purchased to any substantial, relatively level foundation or base ! The foundation bolts must be of sufficient length to project at least 1/2″ through the nuts to allow for proper leveling. We also suggest that our customers use MJ #1295, a vibration isolation material between the...
read moreWhat can help your CNG facility maintenance program
Here is a list of three tools that could help you with your station maintenance. Maybe you don’t need all of them but maybe one of these would prove helpful. Vibration Analysis – All rotating and reciprocating compressors have a normal vibration pattern that can be analyzed. But sampling the vibration of a piece of equipment we can compare and trend the results. Vibration analysis can detect many problems long before equipment fails. Thermographic Analysis – infrared images of mechanical or electrical equipment will often...
read moreCNG Station operation and repairs – keep that final stage loaded!
If added to the order for CNG fast fill-slow fill, CNGCenter provides a priority valve on the discharge of the compressor skid.This priority valve is really a back-pressure regulator, designed to maintain a minimum discharge pressure from the compressor package. The purpose of this is to assure that the final stage of the compressor is loaded. It is important to keep this final stage loaded in order to prevent oil carryover. Most of the Valves recommends 2500 psi as the minimum pressure to be maintained on the CNG packages and, of course,...
read moreHow do I determine how much oil my CNG compressor is consuming?
As a general rule of thumb, lubricant consumption at or above 50 brake horsepower (bhp) hours per once is considered an acceptable rate. To apply this principle, you have to know three basic things. Motor Horsepower Quantity of lubricant consumed. (see tip #2) Number of operating hours. For example: we are running an Ingersoll Rand Model 05H25NGSX, a simplex 25 horsepower compressor package. Through our log sheets we know that we have added 5 ounces of lubricant for every 20 hours of operation. The formula looks like this: 25bhp X 20 hours /...
read more
For over a decade, CNGCenter.com has assisted with choosing the best CNG filling equipment for private and public CNG fueling stations. We buy /refurbish /sell components and entire cng stations. We can help market your CNG equipment too. Financing is available. Let us help you, give us a call now! 