Valtra Dual Fuel Biogas Tractors

Tapio Riipinen, Afcon Oy

Alexandre Chantrelle, Valtra France
 Valtra Biogas Tractors – main drivers of design
For the operators:
• operating, comfort and safety features equal to a respective diesel tractor

For the customers:

• easy and practical way to use renewable energy
• copes without compromising with the existing implements
• better operating economy compared to respective diesel tractors
• no compromising with the standard diesel tractor operating features and performance

For the authorities:

• solutions of general safety, traffic regulations and emissions possible to approve

For societies:
• references and encouragement to develop the legislation, conditions and infrastructure
for using alternative fuels
• potential for significant emission reductions and savings of fossil fuels

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

Valtra T133 Dual Fuel – competitive features

The Valtra T133 Dual Fuel is providing a practical solution for a tractor user who
wants to use tractor with renewable energy, cut fuel costs and emissions of
greenhouse gases without compromising neither the performance (104 kW/2100
rpm, max torque 650 Nm/1400 rpm) or operating features of a standard tractor.

• In Dual Fuel system a small amount of diesel fuel is injected by the normal fuel injection system to
ignite the air / gas mixture.
• Dual Fuel system benefits the higher efficiency of diesel engines compared to spark plug ignited
monofuel (gas) engines, used e.g. in city busses.
• Major part (70 to 80 %) of the power is generated by biogas.
• Both the diesel and gas injection systems have their own electronically controlled common rail,
allowing the diesel / biogas ratio to be optimised.
• To meet the up to date emission regulations, the tractor is equipped with necessary system for
emission reduction, like SCR and special catalytic converter for methane.
• Possible to run by diesel fuel only.

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

Valtra T133 Dual Fuel – 2nd generation biogas tractor
The completed Dual Fuel structure and integrated control system helps to maintain
the standard diesel tractor performance, all it´s operational features and to meet
the up-to date Stage 3B emission limits.

• Specially for dual fuel system designed, regulator equipped air intake system and
electrically controlled gas injectors integrated to a special intake manifold construction

• The electrical gas injection control unit is CAN- integrated to the diesel injection and
tractor engine control system:
• possible to combine the emission sensors and exhaust after treatment controls to
one integrated system
• possible to make the engine run with the optimum gas-diesel ratio and air- fuel
mixture throughout the whole power and engine speed range

• The exhaust line consists of DOC- and SCR- emission reduction units supplemented
with a specially designed oxidation type catalytic converter to take care of the non-
burned methane

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

Valtra T133 Dual Fuel System

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

 Practical and secure tank installation
• The biogas cylinders are situated in a safe location
at the side of the chassis
• no problem with the centre of gravity
• no limitations for visibility
• space for standard front loader mounting

• The entire installation has been designed in

accordance with EC road vehicle regulations.

• The capacity of the composite biogas cylinders on

the first model is 170 litres with pressure of 200 bar
corresponding to approximately 30 l of diesel fuel.

• Sufficient for three to five hours of work typical of

service and municipality applications.

• Depending on tractor model and options the gas volume can

be expanded by chassis mounted or external extra tanks

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

Equal performance by diesel / gas

“The test drivers have been very satisfied with the tractor. The performance is equal
compared with an ordinary Valtra N101 and the diesel fuel consumption is reported
to be very low, some 3 litres per hour. The winter has been exceptional cold but the
tractor has been working without problems.”
TEST DRIVER´S COMMENTS FROM SKÅNE; SWEDEN

Valtra T133 Dual Fuel Diesel Dual Fuel

Max power, kW/rpm 104 / 2000 104 / 2000
with power boost 112 / 2000 112 / 2000
Max torque, Nm/rpm 580 / 1500 580 / 1500
with power boost 630 / 1500 630 / 1500
Ratio Diesel / Biogas 100 % / 0 % 17 % / 83 %

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

 Benefits for the operator and customer
Low Threshold to adopt renewable fuel technology
With Valtra N / T Dual Fuel Biogas tractors there is no need to
make compromises in operating features, performance or
options like front loader, front linkage and front PTO.
Tractors are mainly intended as an all-purpose tractor for farms,
municipalities and contractors that have the possibility of
refuelling with traffic quality biogas or natural gas while working.
In case of running out of gas or when there is no gas available,
the tractor can be operated by diesel, changing automatically or
manually to Diesel only operation.
The fuel costs are reduced 10 – 40 % depending on the
difference between fuel prices. The price difference is expected
to increase because fossil fuels become more expensive.

Possible to get exception type national approval for registration

Service and technical support as with standard tractor

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

General benefits for environment and society

• Flexibility in using alternative fuels - thanks to the Dual Fuel engine operating
principle it can utilize traffic quality bio- and natural gas, diesel and biodiesel
in a most efficient way
• Biogas is the most promising renewable fuel in agriculture especially because
more and more traffic quality (upgraded) biogas is produced on farms
• Supports local agriculture
• creating new ways of energy production
• increasing the value of agricultural based energy products
• decreasing the dependence from purchased fossil fuels

• Helps to meet the EU- targets of reducing greenhouse gases

• greenhouse gases can be reduced substantially (65-80 %)
• Solutions of general safety, traffic regulations and emissions possible to approve
• Providing references and encouragement to develop the legislation, conditions
and infrastructure for using alternative fuels

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen

 Fuel consumption Diesel / Dual Fuel Biogas
Loading rate % 70-80

Substitution rate % 83

Diesel use, l/hour 2,2

Biogas use, kg / hour 8

Fuel costs Diesel / Dual Fuel Biogas

Fuel type Price eur
1 L Diesel 1,3
1 L Farmdiesel 0,88
1 kg biogas 0,85

Loading rate % 70-80

Substitution rate % 83 5 eur/h 1 eur/h
Diesel use, l/hour 2,2 = 33 % = 10 %
Biogas use , kg / hour 8

9,66 8,74
 Diesel vs. Dual Fuel - economy
Fuel type Price eur
1 L Diesel 1,3
1 L Farmdiesel 0,88
1 kg biogas 0,85

Loading rate % 70-80

Substitution rate % 83
Diesel use, l/hour 2,2
Biogas use , kg / hour 8

Why Upgraded Biogas ?

Valtra Dual Fuel tractors have been designed
and optimized for traffic quality biogas, a
purified gas with high content (approx. 95-97%) Tractor
of methane. performance
and
The combustion properties of this biogas are efficiency
comparable to natural gas. With Dual Fuel
(gas+diesel), the methane content has a direct
impact on the engine power output and an indirect Equal
impact on efficiency. If the methane content were DualFuel suitability
to be reduced from 96% to 60%, the maximum Emission with for biogas,
regulations upgraded natural gas,
power output would equally decrease. diesel and
Biogas biodiesel
The decrease could be compensated by increased
injection, but a larger amount of gas and diesel
would need to be stored in the tanks at high
pressure (200 bar) in order to achieve a similar Engine
reliability,
power output. A more diluted biogas-mix means lifetime
that less energy fits into the tank’s volume. and
warranties
 Upgrading technology
BIOGAS UPGRADING UNIT BKP Metener Ltd Biogas Technology

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Working Principle Water piston cleaning

Capacity Inflow 30-100 Nm³/h *)
Power consumption 1,4 kWh / kg *)
Water consumption 0…10 l / kg *)
Cleaned gas Volume Depends of quality of raw biogas
Quality 95% CH4 ±2%, (raw gas>60 % of methane)
Dew point
Ambient temperature reduced by 5°C
Pressure 150 or 250 bar
Mounting Mounting to the customer’s foundation. Ready for use when
connected to gas, water, drain and electricity connections.
Dimensions 6100 mm (length) x 2500 mm (width) x 2400 mm (height)
Weight about 8400 kg
Delivery time Delivery time for BKP -Biogas Upgrading Unit is about 6
months from the order.
*) kg pressurized gas (270 bar)

Cost of upgrading
Investment cost for 45 m3/h raw gas
Electricity consumption
capacity upgrading and filling system 1,30
unit: kWh / Kg @250 bar
260 – 300 000 €
+ Prize of electricity € /kWh 0.11
Filling station: 20-25 000 €
Water consumption m3 / Kg (cooling)
(recycle water) 0.035
Annual use: 8000 h
Complete water recycle m3 / Kg 0 - 0.01
Production capacity
of pressurized gas: 160 000 kg
Maintenance costs €/Kg 0.04
Number of tractors with
1000 h annual use : 20
TOTAL OPERATING COSTS € / kg 0.19
Calculated time of use, years: 10
CAPITAL COSTS € / kg 0.20
TOTAL UPGRADING COSTS € / kg 0.39
 Thank You for Your attention !
Valtra Inc and Biogas Tractor development partners:

• Afcon Oy, design and engineering the general lay-out of the tractor including
design of gas cylinder mountings and gas injection mechanics

• ALT-Control Oy (Turbotec), ECU for the gas injectors, www.altcontrol.fi

• AGCO Sisu Power, base engine technology, www.agcosisupower.com

• Ecocat Oy, design and supply of catalytic converters, www.ecocat.com

• Metener Oy, upgrading and supply of biogas, practical testing in farm use, www.metener.fi

• RAP Clean Vehicle Technology, (consulting, approved gas components) www.rap.ac

www.valtra.com

02/11/2011 Tapio Riipinen