Answers to the Most Common Questions Asked About the EVO-MT™ System

• Can the EVO-MT System be used on any dump truck or haul truck?
• No. The EVO-MT System is designed for mine haul trucks in the 100 ton class and up including the ultra class trucks. Smaller trucks including articulated trucks, just don’t use enough diesel fuel to justify the cost of conversion and the associated on site LNG storage and refueling infrastructure.
• Is Liquid Natural Gas safe to carry on a mine truck?
• Yes. The EVO-MT System has a great number of safety features built in. Many people have misconceptions of natural gas and LNG. See our blog article that discusses LNG safety.
• Is the use of natural gas in a diesel engine dangerous?
• Not with proper safeguards. In the case of EVO-SP, our system has been engineered with operator and engine safety as our primary consideration (see below) and our system ensures that gas substitution rates are positively controlled and matched to combustion air-flow across the engine load range. This precise control ensures that the air-gas mixture being supplied to the engine remains well below lower flammable limits at all times regardless of duty cycle or load variation. This air-gas mixture is actually inflammable outside of the cylinders and only reaches flammable limits at the elevated temperature and pressure generated in the combustion chamber.
• How often do you need to refill the LNG tanks?
• Our systems are designed around the typical duty cycle of the trucks. Our goal is to carry enough LNG that you can simply refuel both diesel and LNG at the same time.
• How safe is LNG refueling?
• Handling LNG in open-air environments is very safe. Natural Gas cannot explode unless it is confined. The only hazard to someone refueling the trucks is the extreme cold temperature of the LNG. With proper training and use of simple personal protective equipment like a face shield and heavy gloves, there is very little risk of injury.
• Can the trucks be returned to a 100% diesel operation?
• Easily. At anytime, if the LNG runs out or is unavailable, the system automatically reverts to 100% diesel. The driver will not notice any interruption. An annunciation light will be the only indication that the truck is not using LNG. Additionally, the onboard fuel storage units are easily removable with simple tools and the quick disconnects provided.
• Will the trucks performance be affected by running on LNG+Diesel?
• No. The truck will retain OEM performance specs in all respects.
• Will the EVO-MT System have any effects on the durability of the engine?
• Engine durability is generally improved due to the clean combustion characteristics of methane. Specifically, oil and oil filter replacement intervals are normally increased substantially and upper cylinder / combustion chamber wear rates are decreased as compared to 100% diesel operation.
• Does the EVO-MT System require any modifications to the engine?
• No. All EVO-SP components are externally installed and no modification is required to major engine components or systems including cylinder heads, pistons, diesel injectors or electronic engine controls.
• Does the EVO-MT System tamper with the engine ECU?
• No. Although the EVO-MT control unit (ECU) can communicate with the engine via J-1939 protocol (electronic diesel engines only), it does not directly interface with or modify the OEM engine controller.
• How will the engine warranty be affected?
• This depends on the position of the engine OEM relative to the use of aftermarket components. Historically, most engine OEM’s have taken the position that the installation of aftermarket parts or systems does not invalidate engine warranty. However, should the use of aftermarket parts or systems lead to engine failure, the OEM will likely reject any warranty claim. For this reason, it is important that a retrofit fuel system be designed with engine safety as the highest priority and the EVO-SP system employs sophisticated engine protection strategies to guard against gas related engine damages.