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A major international research project to support the large scale roll-out of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied biogas (LBG) as transport fuels is underway.
The three-year project, which began in June, is part of this year’s European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) and will draw on expertise from across the continent. NEL is participating in most aspects of the project and is leading a core component which is focused on reducing the uncertainty for dynamic flow.
“There are high levels of uncertainty linked to the flow measurement of these fuels” says Dr. Kenbar Asaad, who is leading NEL’s team on the project. “This is a significant problem as it is a large industry sector, meaning miscalculations due to uncertainty levels of just one percent will be worth huge sums of money. Using ultrasonic and coriolis meters we hope to be able to drive down uncertainties to levels comparable with those found for the measurement of conventional fuels.”
Overall the research aims to develop measurement traceability for large scale LNG custody transfer applications. To address this challenge, the project will combine expertise from industry, instrument manufacturers and research institutes to establish the required test facilities and validation methods. The outcomes of the project will also be implemented in relevant written standards to enable and promote the use of LNG and LBG as a transport fuel.
The project will make a significant contribution to the European “Clean Transport Fuel Strategy”. LNG and LBG fuels bring numerous environmental benefits. For example, LNG-fuelled truck engines produce around 25 % less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to diesel engines and 85 % less NOx.
