Answers to the Most Common Questions About Diesel Engine Conversions

• What are the benefits of EVO-SP?
• The EVO-SP System replaces diesel fuel with natural gas thereby reducing operational costs and improving sustainability. For stand-by power systems, the EVO-SP provides the additional benefit of dramatically extending generator run-time during emergencies by using pipeline-supplied natural gas in place of limited onsite diesel fuel.
• How does the EVO-SP System compare?

• STANDARD FEATURES	EVO-SP™	Brand A	Brand B	Brand C	Brand D
  FUMIGATION
  DIESEL FLOW METER
  GAS DETECTION
  FLAME DETECTION
  MIXER/THROTTLE-BODY GAS CONTROL
  VIBRATION DETECTION (KNOCK)
  TEMPERATURE PROTECTION
  DYNAMIC SET-POINT PROTECTION™
  GSP/GOP
  MASS AIR FLOW SENSING
  KILOWATT TRANSDUCERS
  SS PANEL/PLC
  DIGITAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY/TOUCHSCREEN
  COMMUNICATIONS: J1939, MOD BUS
  SAFETY CODES: CSA, UL2200, NFPA 37
  PRE-WIRED WIRING HARNESS

• What types of engines can be converted?
• The EVO-SP system has been designed for use on compression ignition (CI), high-speed engines utilizing either mechanical or electronic diesel injection. The system is adaptable to constant and variable speed applications and is compatible with both normally aspirated and turbo-charged induction systems.
• 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.
• Is the EVO-SP system compatible with other alternative fuels?
• Yes. The EVO-SP system is generally compatible with all methane-based fuel gases, including coal bed methane (CBM), wellhead gas and bio-derived / landfill gas.
• Can the engine still operate on 100% diesel fuel?
• Yes. The engine can be reverted to 100% diesel operation whenever required (either manually or automatically) with no loss in performance or power output.
• Does the EVO-SP system require modification of 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-SP system tamper with the engine ECU?
• No. Although the EVO-SP 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.
• Is there a power loss after conversion?
• No. The EVO-SP system optimizes gas substitution rates while ensuring that maximum engine power is always available.
• What effect will the EVO-SP™ System have on the durability of my engine?
• When used with high quality (fuel grade) gas, 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. The use of lower quality fuel gases may lead to premature engine wear and/or decreased oil/filter intervals.
• 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.
• How long does it take to install and start-up an EVO-SP kit?
• If the gas pipeline has been installed in close proximity to the engine, installation of the EVO-SP kit can typically be completed in one day with start-up requiring 3 – 4 hours to complete. Smaller engines will require less time, larger or more complex installations may require additional time for installation and start-up.
• How does EVO-SP protect the converted engine?
• Engine protection is ensured by the continuous monitoring of critical engine parameters including port exhaust gas temperatures, manifold air pressure, manifold air temperature, engine speed, engine vibration levels and other power system parameters. This data is updated at 50 Hz (50 times per second) and each parameter has pre-alarm and shut-down setpoints that are windowed across the engine load range using EVO-SP’s proprietary DSP™ system.
• What is Dynamic Setpoint Protection™?
• The EVO-SP system incorporates a proprietary engine safety system that brings a new level of assurance to operators. The Dynamic Setpoint Protection (DSP) system provides discrete pre-alarm and shut-down setpoints for all monitored engine and power system parameters across the entire load range. For example, instead of having a single setpoint for high engine vibration levels (referenced to maximum load condition), the DSP system creates a curve for engine vibration limits across all load levels thus protecting the engine across the complete operating range. This is vitally important to engine safety since each critical engine parameter should be compared to a nominal baseline value for a particular load level.
• How does EVO-SP protect operators?
• Under our HSSE program, GFS is committed to protecting the health and safety of our customer’s employees. We take this responsibility very seriously and we have engineered the EVO-SP system to provide the highest levels of safety for operators and service personnel. Our standard SP product offerings include pre-assembled and fully tested gas trains that meet the most stringent certification requirements. Our electrical control systems minimize hazards to service personnel by utilizing low voltage, DC power supplies. Air-gas mixtures supplies to the engine are precisely controlled to ensure that they are kept well below LEL preventing the possibility of backfire or intake system explosions. Finally, every SP system we ship includes state-of-the-art combustible gas and flame detectors to guard against gas leaks and engine room fires.
• How does EVO-SP adjust for widely varying load conditions?
• The EVO-SP system utilizes high speed, high resolution gas controls that allow the system to match optimum gas rates to engine load conditions even in the most demanding and dynamic applications. Using integrated mixer-throttle bodies and sophisticated control algorithms, the EVO-SP control unit constantly monitors and adjusts in order to maximize performance and savings for the operator.