Development of novel energy systems for LNG locomotives

Abstract

The use of diesel in the railway sector brings challenges to the engineers to meet the current emissions standards set by governments. This thesis addresses potential solutions to overcome the emissions problems in the current diesel fueled locomotives with economic benefits using liquefied natural gas (LNG) locomotives. Six novel energy systems for LNG locomotives are developed with different prime movers and fuel combinations. The systems are analyzed energetically and exergetically, and their performances are compared for evaluation purposes. The environmental impact and the fuel cost for each system are considered in the comparison. The current study investigates the use of the fuel combinations including LNG-ULSD, LNG-LPG, LNG- and LNG only to run the locomotive using different prime movers.