Thursday, September 28, 2006 Standards for autogas refueling still reviewed: DOE to council
SUPPLIERS yesterday assured liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered vehicles are safe because they follow international standards in installing the kits.
One, though, warned of surplus kits with sub-standard materials that other taxi operators might use in their units.
Department of Energy (DOE) 7 Director Antonio Labios yesterday told the Cebu City Council that standards for so-called autogas refueling stations are still being scrutinized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Bureau of Product Standards (BPS).
He assured, however, that the guidelines will be available in a month or so that refueling stations will already be complying with certain safety specifications.
He also said that LPG-using taxi units are required to secure a DTI clearance before registering with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Fuel alternatives
Labios said that LPG use for vehicles is in line with DOE’s thrust to use environment-friendly fuel alternatives because it has lesser harmful gas emission.
That is aside from economic considerations, with LPG being significantly cheaper at roughly 50 percent than the price of gasoline.
Labios was the first speaker in yesterday’s public hearing the council called to determine the concerns on LPG use for vehicles and homes, safety measures that the public should undertake, and what steps the City could take to protect consumers and monitor usage.
Engineer Loy Arabejo of Petron Corporation’s Gasul Technical Service Group said LPG explodes only in enclosed spaces.
To eliminate LPG fire, all tanks are equipped with multi-valves and are 20 times more puncture resistant than the typical gasoline, methanol and ethanol tanks.
“A multi-valve is the only possible source of tank leak. But it is in an airtight enclosure where gas can dissipate to a hose that leads outside,” he said.
In effect, although placed inside the baggage compartment, the LPG tank has an outlet where leaking gas could escape instead of being confined, thus reducing the possibility of an explosion.
Danger
Councilor Edgardo Labella, though, said the piping system from the tank to the engine is another source of danger because it could break.
That is why the material should be malleable enough to withstand the rigors of travel.
Lawyer Jerome Neri of SKN Cebu also warned of surplus kits where the piping is made from ordinary copper tubing, which he said is a “concern.”
The City Council, led by Vice Mayor Michael Rama, also expressed concern about which government agency regularly monitors the installed kits.
Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, in particular, said that over time, wear and tear sits in and leakage is a real consideration.
Kuki Buencamino, technical director of Ambienergy Enterprises, Inc., said they are following international safety standards, which are way above the Philippine National Standards (PNS).
He said that aside from a multi-valve, which allows LPG venting during leaks to reduce pressure build-up inside the tank to prevent explosion, kits they supply also have, among others, a thermofuse and an excess flow valve.
The thermofuse is a “meltable alloy” that opens when there is fire to allow more LPG to escape in a controlled way. The excess flow valve works the same way.
It was admitted, however, that there is really no standard that ensures total safety for users.
“There is no absolute guarantee on safety, but we must put our acts together,” Rama said. (RHM)
