By Robert Barron
Craig Ridgway always wanted to have the fastest truck.
His constant research on how to do that eventually came upon a way to use propane to increase the fuel economy for diesel trucks and tractors.
By doing it, he also found a way to reduce emissions. Fuel was never an issue, Ridgway said. It was always speed.
“I kept the idea under my hat. A friend of mine suggested I patent the idea, and I found out the theory was already patented.”
Ridgway called the patent holder and suggested a change for the valve. After some discussion, Ridgway agreed to allow the Iowa patent holder to manufacture all the valves and in return Ridgway got exclusive right to the patent.
A diesel engine burns 68 percent of diesel at the top of the piston, and with Ridgway’s valve it will burn 98 percent, he said. Exhaust temperatures rise going uphill and diesel fuel leaves the engine unburned. Propane lowers temperatures by burning 98 percent at the top of the piston, increasing speed and energy on the piston downstroke as pressure is boosted, he said.
“We use the same valve for everything,” he said.
Propane is used only as an alternative fuel. The diesel sparks the propane. A tractor pulling a baling machine only used 5.2 gallons and one-half gallon of propane per hour, he said. Since he began offering the valves for sale his business is spreading.
One day recently a Michigan man was in Jet to talk to Ridgway about being a distributor.
“You can do it for horsepower, or mileage or both,” he said.
Ridgway hopes to use it for emission control and additional mileage because truckers need those. He is in discussion with Cummins and Detroit engines.
Ridgway admits he “stumbled” onto his invention.
About 15 years ago he was a farmer who trucked his own hay and he always wanted go to faster. He developed his propane injection valve, a progressive turbocharger to boost pressure.
He is still tweaking it.
“We’re just getting started, but we are selling a lot and we’re setting up dealerships,” he said. He said so far 200 units have been sold with 100 percent satisfaction.
One reason the valves are now taking off is the cost of fuel, he said.
Ridgway said propane is a stable fuel and farmers have been using it for years, for a number of purposes.
