RECONSTRUCTION OF BUSES TO WORK ON LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS

The modern development of the transport industry requires urgent measures aimed at reducing harmful emis-sions and increasing the economic efficiency of vehicles. Special attention should be given to bus transport, which serves as the primary means of passenger transportation in urban and suburban areas. The high consumption of diesel fuel leads to significant emissions of harmful substances, which negatively impact the environment and public health. In this regard, the transition to more environmentally friendly fuel types is a pressing challenge for the transport sector. Given that modern buses are equipped exclusively with diesel engines as autonomous power units, which are character-ized by high fuel consumption (over 20 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km in urban cycles), it is evident that replacing them with a more cost-effective gaseous motor fuel, particularly liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is a viable solution. This tran-sition would not only help reduce environmental pollution but also significantly lower fuel-related operational costs. Thus, converting urban and suburban buses to spark-ignition gas engines is a promising direction for Ukraine, offering both environmental and economic benefits. The implementation of this technology will improve the quality of urban transportation, reduce operational expenses, and enhance the ecological situation in different regions. The objective of this study is to explore the technical feasibility of placing an adequate number of automotive gas cylin-ders for LPG in the lower section of the bus frame (including the area previously occupied by the removed diesel fuel tank) to ensure a daily driving range equivalent to that of diesel-powered buses. Additionally, the study provides an economic justification for the cost-effectiveness of converting diesel engines in small urban and suburban buses to spark-ignition gas internal combustion engines operating on LPG and their practical appli-cation in Ukraine. Keywords: small urban and suburban buses, gas internal combustion engine, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), automotive gas cylinde.