LaRC CENTER UPDATE

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LaRC CENTER UPDATE
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Reorganization

• LaRC is undergoing a major reorganization. After
  organizations consolidate, and facility closures
  are complete, the number of vehicles required to
  support center functions may be reduced.

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Langleys Fleet

• It is likely that
• LaRCs travel fleet (motor pool) will go away in
  2006.
• Employees will use local rental companies or POV
  for all their travel requirements.

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Langleys Fleet

• The dissolution of the travel fleet would result
  in a huge reduction of fuel usage, since we
  currently travel approximately 650K miles a year
  with travel fleet vehicles.

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Langleys Fleet

• By keeping our current travel vehicles (which are
  nearly 100 AFV) and sending older gasoline
  center use vehicles to excess, petroleum fuel
  usage would be reduced.

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Langleys Fleet

• As a result of the new ROME contract, a few GFE
  vehicles were turned in. The ROME contractor owns
  nearly all of its fleet.

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Business Case Analysis

• Working on a Business Case Analysis to
• Explore options with our Travel Fleet
• Renting from commercial sources for Headquarters
  and other out of town travel.
• Reducing size of travel fleet and renting from
  commercial sources during peak usage to
  supplement.

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Business Case Analysis

• Explore alternative fleet acquisition methods,
  including lease purchasing, and GSA leasing.

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Business Case Analysis

• Business case will also explore charge back
  options/systems
• Customers tend to take a hard-line when spending
  the organizations money.
• This is also essential for full cost accounting.

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AFV REPORT

• This year Langley replaced 7 gasoline vehicles
  with E-85 Alternative Fuel Vehicles.
• Total light duty vehicle acquisitions for 2004
  were 100 AFV.

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AFV REPORT

• Since 1999 the percentage is 84
• 23 CNG bi-fuel, 4 dedicated CNG, including three
  NG Honda Civics(the cleanest burning combustion
  engine ever tested by EPA), 26 E-85, 7 gasoline
  sedans, 1 gasoline sport utility, 2 gasoline
  pick-ups.
• Currently our covered fleet of vehicles is 33
  AFV (162 vehicles total)

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CNG

• LaRC was unable to get proper signage to allow
  CNG vehicles in HOV lanes in Washington DC
  however, we still experienced a higher demand for
  bi-fuel vehicles by employees traveling to DC.
• This worked out well for us, as our NG station
  has had a lot of down time this year. It was down
  the entire month of June, 2004.

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CNG

• LaRC has used 1,718 gasoline gallon equivalents
  through June 30 of this year, which is down a
  little from last year during the same time period.

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E-85

• Last year I reported that LaRC had tried to
  partner with HRCC, Langley Air Force base, and a
  local oil company to obtain E-85 fuel, and after
  8 months with no progress I pursued E-85
  infrastructure for NASA LaRC.

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E-85

• Ordered a 6,000 gallon Core ConVault fuel tank,
  which arrived in mid-August.
• Installation was completed by the first of
  October.

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E-85

• Total project cost was just under 64.5K
• 37K for Tank, Dispenser/pump, Stage I II vapor
  recovery, and Ladder.
• 27.5K for site work and installation of power,
  card readers, alarm panel.

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E-85

• E-85 Fuel Tank

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E-85

• Due to the continuing resolution, the PR to
  purchase E-85 fuel was held up until January
  04.
• Finding a supplier turned out to be some what of
  a challenge, took over three months before we
  received our first delivery.

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E-85

• Finally started pumping E-85 the first week of
  April.

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E-85

• From mid-April until June 30, 2004 LaRC has
  dispensed 1552 gallons of E-85.
• LaRC is currently paying 1.54/gallon for E-85,
  but should be able to purchase through DESC in
  FY05 at a much lower price.

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B20

• NASA/Langley started using B-20 the end of May,
  2002. Through June 30, 2004 we have used 27,095
  gallons.
• During our initial research a repeated issue that
  came up with Bio-diesel was fuel filter
  replacements due to the cleaning properties of
  bio-diesel.

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B20 contd

• After 2 years and more than 27,000 gallons of
  B-20, LaRC has not encountered any fuel filter
  issues or any other fuel related problems with
  any of our vehicles or equipment.
• There has been no reported change in performance
  of the vehicles and equipment that operate on
  B-20.

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B20 contd

• LaRC has encountered some problems related to the
  underground storage tank system and dispensing
  pumps filter system while using B-20, but
  believe it was due to the fuel supply being
  completely depleted after hurricane Isabel.

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B20 contd

• In addition to the 95 vehicles and / or pieces of
  equipment of various makes and models (Ranging
  from a 2001 Pierce Fire Truck to a 1975 Jet Fuel
  Tanker Truck) that used B-20, we also have some
  experience with stationary back up generators.

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B-20 Contd

• After hurricane Isabel struck LaRC, the Emergency
  Response Team drained our diesel fuel tank to
  fill various stationary generators around the
  center.

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B20 contd

• A total of 4000 gallons of B-20 was used in the
  effort.
• We were happy to report no fuel related problems
  with any of the equipment that used B-20.

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B20 contd

• After working with the LaRC Energy Manager and
  Utility Manager to use bio-diesel in stationary
  generators and boilers, it was decided that the
  fuel may sit too long in this equipment to keep
  it from separating in the tanks.
• LaRC is currently paying 1.37/gallon for B-20.

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New Technology

• NITRO POWER SPARK PLUGS
• At the request of Mr. Gookin, LaRC ran a test on
  spark plugs sold by Leading Edge Cryogenics. LEC
  has developed a process to cryogenically treat
  spark plugs.

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New Technology

• The treated plugs are advertised to
• Increase fuel economy by up to 20
• Produce up to 15 more power
• Reduce emissions by as much as 80
• The plugs were installed in two 2003 Ford Taurus
  sedans.

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New Technology

• The preliminary results are

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New Technology

• LaRC has purchased four more sets of the spark
  plugs to be tested in a broader range of
  vehicles, including testing a set in a vehicle
  operating on E-85.
• We also plan on having an emission test run on at
  least one vehicle, before and after.

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New Technology

• If these results are consistent, it would be an
  opportunity for NASA, as well as the rest of the
  federal government, to reduce petroleum fuel
  consumption as required by EO 13149.