A build-up of even miniscule amounts of water in CNG fuel systems renders them vulnerable to corrosion, reducing efficiency, performance and lifetime.
Exposure to cold weather can freeze moisture, causing blockages in fuel systems, while water can bond with components of CNG such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide to create corrosive compounds.
The Canberra ACTION bus service already operates 25 CNG buses, with plans to have 42 running by the end of the year. The new refuelling station currently services 10 buses an hour continuously with the ability to expand to 120.
The Tuggeranong station incorporates a Xebec CNG drier design that has a proven track record in the US and Asia. The driers reduce the dew-point factor of the gas well below operating ambient temperature before it enters a vehicle's fuel system, with dew-points as low as –70C possible.
The dessication process stymies the formation of moisture when gas pressure increases during refuelling.
