Question

Which one is not an advantage of CNG over diesel?
A. Burns more efficiently.
B. It is cheap.
C. Cannot be siphoned off by the thieves.
D. Cannot be adulterated.
E. Easy to lay down pipelines for delivery.

Answer 1

Hint: Compressed natural gas (CNG) (methane stored at a high pressure) is a non-polluting fuel, which can be used as an alternative to gasoline, diesel fuel, and propane/LPG.CNG combustion produces little unwanted gases than the above mentioned fuels. Compressed natural gas needs a larger amount of space for storing and distribution of fuel than conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Complete answer:
Efficiency - When Comparing Compressed natural gas (CNG ) to diesel and even to petrol, natural gas produces much less nitrogen oxides and fewer particulate matter (PM) when combusted. The combustion process is also silent and noiseless. CNG is therefore a far finer and better 'urban' fuel than diesel or petrol.

Cost effective - CNG is thirty to fifty percent cheaper than per litre cost of diesel and petrol. The fuel consumption capacity is also far better, thus making CNG more economical and cost- efficient. Low pollution rate and lesser carbon dioxide emissions cars that run on CNG emit only 30 percent less carbon dioxide than alternate burning diesel cars or petrol cars.

CNG is a gaseous in nature and gases are difficult to be siphoned as they will be filled in cylinders. Similarly, Gases cannot be adulterated easily as the diesel and petrol can, as they are in liquid state.

CNG Pipelines network demands a larger area of land or space for transportation and fuel storage than normal conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. And as it is a compressed gas, comparative to a liquid like petrol diesel or gasoline, CNG consumes more space for laying a network of pipelines.

Hence, the correct answer is option (E).

Note: The main difficulty of CNG is in laying down the pipelines network for delivering and transportation of CNG through distribution points to the CNG pumps and to ensure continuous supply throughout the network. Hence, it is a tough task to lay down pipelines for delivery of CNG.
CNG pipeline is not flexible, i.e., it can be used only for a few fixed points. Its capacity cannot be increased once it is laid.