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NewsBot Date: July 12, 2006 06:00:00 AM
IFUE News Two Extended Standardized Tests Show IFT's DiesoLIFT(TM) Improves Road Transport Fuel Efficiency 3% to 5.6%
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 2006--Extended tests conducted over the past 12 months by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) have demonstrated that International Fuel Technology's (OTCBB: IFUE) DiesoLIFT(TM) technology achieves diesel fuel savings of at least 3% to 5.6% in long-haul trucking applications.
"These results support the findings of previous tests and field trials that IFT's technology produces fuel economy improvements in the 5% to 7% range in diesel-fueled rail, over-the-road and stationary power generation applications in the U.S., Asia, South Africa and Europe," said IFT CEO Jonathan R. Burst. "To our knowledge, no other technology has demonstrated this magnitude of fuel economy improvement. We expect these positive test results will further our commercialization efforts with trucking fleet operators in North America and worldwide."
"If IFT's technology was used in just 10% of current diesel applications, more than 28 million barrels of crude oil could be switched to meet other needs and annual cost savings for diesel users could total over $1.7 billion. For every 1,000,000 gallons of diesel fuel used by an average fleet operator, a 3.0% to 5.6% fuel economy improvement translates into fuel savings of $75,000 to $140,000, assuming a $2.50/gallon diesel fuel price," Burst added.
Test Protocol
The SwRI and FERIC tests -- suggested by several large North American truck fleet operators -- were conducted according to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) protocol J1321, used since 1986 as the standardized test procedure accepted by the U.S. trucking industry for measuring in-service fuel consumption in long-haul truck fleets.
Both tests involved a control vehicle and one to three test vehicles making repeated 60-kilometer and 46-mile test runs with loads representative of actual operations. Test vehicle fuel consumption data were compared with previously established baselines and with control vehicle performance to calculate the fuel efficiency improvement rates.
FERIC Results
The FERIC tests, completed March 31, 2006, used 2004 Kenworth T800 control and test trucks powered by CAT C-15 engines and on- and off-highway roundwood tractor-trailers on a 60-km asphalt road in the Quebec province of Canada. In comparison with baseline test results, FERIC concluded "the calculated fuel economy is 5.2%." FERIC also collected and analyzed fleet data for two months of DiesoLIFT(TM) usage and reported a calculated fuel economy using fleet data of 5.6%.
To evaluate whether the DiesoLIFT(TM) technology would have any impact on cold-weather performance, FERIC conducted cold-start tests based on SAE J1635. After the test vehicle, a 2004 Kenworth T800 with a CAT C-15, was left standing in -3.5 degrees Celsius temperatures with a -10 degrees C wind chill for 10 hours, test drivers rated its starting, idling and drivability characteristics either excellent or very good.
FERIC is a private, non-profit research and development organization funded by leading forestry companies, the Canadian government and provinces, whose goal is to improve Canadian forestry operations related to the harvesting and transportation of wood, and the growing of trees, within a framework of sustainable development. A copy of the full FERIC report is available upon request.
Southwest Research Results
The SwRI tests, completed April 28, 2006, used as the control vehicle a 1999 Freightliner Model C truck tractor with a Detroit 60 Series engine, and as the test trucks three 1994 Freightliner FLD truck tractors with Caterpillar 3176 engines. The trucks, pulling identical 48-foot flat bed trailers loaded with 76,000 lbs of gross vehicle weight, traveled a 46-mile route on Interstate 10 northwest of San Antonio chosen to represent typical long-haul interstate highway operations.
Following a period to condition the test trucks' engine systems, SwRI's Fuels and Lubricants Research Division found that "a significant improvement was achieved. The data clearly shows that after enough conditioning mileage, DiesoLIFT(TM) provided an improvement of between 2% and 4%," according to the SwRI report. Average overall post-conditioning fuel efficiency improvement was 3%, with individual sets of test laps ranging as high as 4.7%.
SwRI is an independent, nonprofit applied research and development organization with a staff of 3,000 and nearly two million square feet of laboratories, test facilities, workshops and offices. SwRI has more than 20 years of experience conducting SAE fuel economy evaluation procedures. A copy of the full SwRI report is available upon request.
IFT Technology
IFT's family of patent-pending products uses surfactant technology to lower a fuel's overall surface tension and act as a detergent in the fuel delivery system, significantly increasing fuel efficiency and reducing harmful emissions. IFT's surfactant technology changes four primary performance-related attributes of hydrocarbon-based fuels: fuel efficiency, lubricity, detergency and co-solvency:
-- Fuel efficiency - Reduced surface tension enables greater atomization of fuel in combustion, resulting in a more complete burn with improved power; it maximizes the energy potential in every drop of fuel, producing a significant fuel economy increase.
-- Improved lubricity - IFT's surfactant molecules attach themselves, or adsorb, to the surfaces of the fuel system and engine, coating these surfaces to protect them from wear, and acting as a friction modifier. Reduced system wear lowers maintenance costs on the engine, injectors, and pump, while increased lubricity improves efficiency.
-- Detergency - The detergent characteristic of IFT's surfactants constantly cleans the fuel system and engine, preventing detrimental dirt and sludge deposits, and keeping engine parts and tanks clean to allow the engine to run at superior efficiency at all times.
-- Co-solvency - IFT's surfactant physical chemistry envelops water and ethanol molecules throughout the fuel in a stable and homogeneous manner, preventing detrimental phase separation and enhancing uniform combustion. In tanks, IFT's co-solvency property prevents water bottoms from forming, eliminating the need to pump out and clean the tank if it has been contaminated by water.
Environmental Effects
Improved combustion also significantly reduces emissions of toxic materials and greenhouse gases. Carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons and particulate matter emissions are the direct result of incomplete combustion of fuel in the engine. Improved fuel atomization produces more complete combustion, significantly reducing the amount of harmful CO, unburned hydrocarbons and particulate matter emitted.
Greenhouse gas emissions targeted for reduction under the Kyoto Protocol like carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxides (NOx) are created by the combustion of fuel in the engine. By improving fuel efficiency, IFT's technology requires less fuel to be burned to achieve a needed level of power output, resulting in the release of less CO2 and NOx into the atmosphere. In addition, because IFT's technology improves the stable utilization of ethanol in fuels, it makes possible expanded use of environmentally friendly, lower-CO2-emitting fuels.
About International Fuel Technology
International Fuel Technology is a fuel performance enhancement company focused on providing its technology to large, industrial consumers of liquid hydrocarbon-based fuels.
Some statements contained in this release may be forward-looking within the meaning of the safe harbor clause of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, but not limited to, statements as to commercialization of the Company's products and business development activities. Editors and investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to generate revenues and other factors as described in the Company's literature and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
