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April 2010
Safe NGV’s: The Viridis RFID SolutionPatent Pending
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Viridis Technologies Inc
• Manufacturer of CNG, Hydrogen, Propane &
LNG fuel dispensers and related equipment
• Facilities in Toronto, Mumbai, & Singapore
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Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
• Used as vehicle fuel in over 80 countries
– > 14,500 stations worldwide
– > 9.6 million vehicles worldwide
• Abundant supply of natural gas
• Reduced emissions of greenhouse gases,
particulate and NOx
• Low cost
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Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
• High operating pressure: 3600 psi
• Requires specialized equipment
– Engine/conversion kit for natural gas
– Cylinders designed for high pressure natural gas
• Highly explosive gas
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Typical CNG Station
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The Problem
• NGV’s numbers growing globally
• While standards exist for equipment, no
means of enforcing them
• Unregulated conversion of vehicles
– Sub-standard/faulty equipment used
• No routine inspection of vehicles
• Modification of vehicles post conversion
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Unregulated Retrofit Facility
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The Safety Challenge
From ANGVA Presentation: NGV: THE SAFETY CHALLENGE, 7/2009
• Challenge in every country where CNG is used
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The Safety Challenge
• Substandard equipment leads to explosions
causing death, injury and property damage
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The Safety Challenge
• Significant financial liabilities for industry
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The Safety Challenge
• Negative publicity & impeded growth for
industry
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• Reduced government support for natural gas
vehicle (NGV) programs
The Safety Challenge
From ANGVA Presentation: NGV: THE SAFETY CHALLENGE, 7/2009
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The Safety Challenge
From ANGVA Presentation: NGV: THE SAFETY CHALLENGE, 7/2009
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The Safety Challenge
• Lack traceability of conversions and/or
inspections
• Routine installation of illegal cylinders
• Difficult if not impossible to enforce routine
inspection of cylinders
• No assured method to restrict fueling to
only certified vehicles
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The Safety Challenge: Current Solutions
• Educate regulatory authorities & all stakeholders
on safety standards for NGV’s
• Enforcement of safety standards wherever
possible
• Restrict conversions to trained & certified
personnel
• Attempt regular vehicle inspections
• Regulate conversion facilities
• Control fueling of vehicles.
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Identification of Vehicles
• Magnetic card
• Identification sticker
• Infrared
• Bar coding
All options susceptible to fraudulent duplication, lack
reliability and have proven to be unsuitable for the
harsh environment of natural gas vehicles.
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Viridis RFID SystemPatent Pending
• Combines :– Reliable identification of certified &
inspected vehicles
– Automated refueling of certified vehicles
– Secure central database of certified vehicles and installers.
• Interfaces with existing CNG dispensers
• Readily implemented on all types of NGV’s
• Approved for use in hazardous locations
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Viridis RFID System: Components
• RFID Dispenser Controller
• Stand alone unit, interfaces with any brand of
CNG dispensers.
• Authorizes dispenser to fuel vehicle once tag
is identified.
• Intrinsically Safe Antenna
• Designed for each refueling nozzle.
• Vehicle Tag
• Tag designed specifically for use in harsh
NGV environment.
• Permanently mounted on vehicle.
• Programmed with user selectable data.
• SSM
• Collects transaction data, operates as billing
system.
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Requirements of RFID Technology
• Must operate in harsh environment, high humidity & temperature
• Resistant to EMI
• Data programmed on the RFID tag must be stable & reliable
• Unaffected by metal
• Resistant to vibration
• Impervious to dirt & contamination
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Dispenser TerminalPatent Pending
• Dispenser terminal operates as a stand alone unit without external communications
• Intrinsically safe RFID antenna located adjacent to fueling nozzle
• Automatically reads vehicle RFID tag
• Verifies vehicle is authorized to be fueled
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Dispenser TerminalPatent Pending
• Displays vehicle identification on dispenser to permit operator to confirm vehicle license matches that on the tag
• Verifies the vehicle tank configuration matches the system as identified on the tag.
• Continuously monitors tag during fueling. Optionally can identify customer ID & change dispenser price
• Optionally capture transaction data & transmit to host system on or off site
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Transponder ProgrammingPatent Pending
• Programming by authorized users
• Vehicle equipment data, including cylinder,
tubing, receptacle & other data as required
• Database is maintained by Viridis server
• Tag is automatically programmed &
verified by Viridis server
• Secured with high level encryption
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Viridis RFID: Safety Features
• Fully automatic – no user intervention possible.
• Fail safe – refueling stops within 1 second if tag signal is lost or changed.
• Volume verification – compares actual cylinder volume with programmed
volume to detect cylinder modifications.
** 2010: Integrated cylinder identification system to be released.
• Encryption technology – tags and communication technology cannot be
replicated.
• Traceability – database of certified installers, inspectors and NGV’s.
• Accuracy & repeatability – 100% read rate of tags, no cross-reading of valid
tags at stations.
• Fraud protection – tags are destroyed if removed from vehicle.
• Approvals– system is intrinsically safe, UL approved, ATEX certification
pending.
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Viridis RFID: Commercial Features
• Pre-set Transaction Limits
• Ability to limit individual transactions to a maximum # of Kg or purchase
amount. Transaction permissions allow control of which vehicles can be
fueled at specific times of the day or by certain drivers.
• Pre-paid Transactions
• Gas can be pre-purchased. RFID tag operates in a similar manner to a
pre-paid phone card.
• Post-purchase Credit Card Processing
• Customers can link a credit card to the tag in their vehicle.
• Billing System
• Seamless transfer of fueling transaction data to customer’s host
computer.
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Viridis Solution: Pilot Project India
• Secure LF RFID tags installed on buses.
• Programming of tags at fueling station.
• Each tag contained complete profile of the vehicle’s CNG sytem.
• Tags were specifically designed to be installed on metal surface of buses.
• Tags were permanently affixed to the vehicle.
RFID Tag Installed At
Nozzle Receptacle
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Viridis Solution: Pilot Project India
• RFID tag data secured with high level encryption to prevent duplication.
• Project Added Features:– Verify that cylinders on board vehicle are the same as recorded on
vehicle RFID tag.
– To prevent unauthorized cylinder swaps after RFID tag has been issued to a vehicle.
– Verify the total cylinder capacity during fueling to prevent additional cylinders being added.
– Failsafe operation – loss of tag signal during fueling terminates the fill immediately.
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Viridis Solution: Pilot Project India
• Intrinsically safe RFID antenna installed on fueling nozzle.
• Close read range assured only the vehicle being fueled is identified by the Viridis system.
• The Viridis dispenser controller had 100% accuracy in reading tag data. All data is verified before transaction begins.
• Assured vehicle was correctly identified for billing purposes.
• Vehicle tag is continuously monitoring during fueling to prevent an operator from switching to another vehicle after a transaction has begun.
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Viridis Solution: Pilot Project India
• The Viridis system collected transaction data that was utilized for billing purposes.
• Redundant data capture for transaction data insures security of valuable sales data.
• Standardized data output format from Viridis RFID controller was input to central system for billing purposes.
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Pilot Project Lessons
• The RFID technology proved to be reliable in harsh
NGV environment.
• 100% read rate of tags is possible.
• Current encryption level is secure and suitable for billing
purposes.
• Implementation of RFID as a means of ensuring safe
fueling of natural gas vehicles requires support from all
stakeholders.
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Viridis RFID SystemPatent Pending
• Certified for use in hazardous locations.
• Reliable & secure means of identifying
certified & inspected vehicles
• Encrypted data to prevent fraud
• No operator intervention
• Secure central database assures
traceability of all vehicle systems
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Viridis RFID System: Next GenerationPatent Pending
• CNG RFID projects in 11 countries in
2010.
• Second generation pilot projects beginning
late 2010.
• Projects for Hydrogen, LPG and LNG.
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