Turbine Truck Engines, Inc. announced on March 18 that monitored test runs of its Detonation Cycle Gas Turbine (DCGT) engine, utilizing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a fuel source, yielded very positive results.

"The results, although not surprising, underline the green aspects of our engine design. Compressed Natural Gas produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels such as diesel, gasoline or propane, but its use did not adversely affect our engine’s performance," commented Michael Rouse, CEO of TTE. "These ongoing tests, using various alternative fuels, demonstrate that our technology can deliver higher efficiencies with any fuel, and all without any modification whatsoever to the engine," he added.

The implications of this finding are significant, says the company since port authorities in Australia and the U.S. require that vehicles entering their ports must conform to higher emissions standards than vehicles elsewhere. Trailer loads often approach these ports using a widely available fuel, such as diesel, and must then be switched to other tractors (such as those powered by CNG) which meet port authority entrance requirements. "Because the DCGT engine can run on a variety of fuels, a rig can carry multiple fuel tanks, allowing its operator the flexibility required to meet both local emissions requirements and fuel availability constraints. This will improve operator’s bottom lines while positively impacting our environment,” explained Rouse.

Turbine Truck Engines, Inc. is a technology company focused on the development, manufacture and testing of its New Energy and Environmental Efficient Truck Engine intended for mass market in the U.S. and abroad.