Racing Experiences with Methanol and Ethanol-Based Motor-Fuel Blends

Powell, Tommy

doi:10.4271/750124

Cited by 14 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In 1907 the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigated the use of alcohol as a motor fuel. A subsequent study by the U.S. Bureau of Mines concluded that engines could provide up to 10% higher power on alcohol fuels than on gasoline (8). Mixtures of alcohol and gasoline were used on farms in France and in the United States in the early 1900s (9).…”

Section: Uses Of Alcohol Fuelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol Fuels

Jackson¹,

Moyer²

2000

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology

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A wide variety of countries have, at various times, explored the use of either methanol or ethanol alcohol fuels as alternatives to diesel and gasoline fuels. Recently the United States has demonstrated light and heavy‐duty vehicles using alcohols but has not yet passed beyond the use of limited amounts of alcohols as gasoline components. The potential benefits of alcohol fuels include increased energy diversification accompanied by some energy security and balance of payments benefits, and air quality improvements. The Clean Air Act of 1990, emission standards set out by the State of California, and the 1992 Comprehensive National Energy Policy Act may serve to encourage the substantial use of alcohol fuels, unless gasoline and diesel technologies offer comparable advantages. Both methanol and ethanol have high octane values and allow high compression ratios providing increased efficiency and improved power output per cylinder. The properties of methanol and ethanol result in different vehicle fuel storage considerations. Unlike gasoline or diesel fuel, the vapor of methanol or ethanol above the liquid fuel in a fuel tank is usually combustible at ambient temperatures. This poses the risk of an explosion should a spark or flame find its way to the tank such as during refueling. The 85% methanol–15% gasoline fuel in use in California and elsewhere is commonly called M85. If methanol is to compete with conventional gasoline and diesel fuel it must be readily available and inexpensively produced. Thus methanol production from a low‐cost feedstock such as natural gas or coal is essential. Ethanol is primarily produced from a variety of crops and crop by‐products, generically called renewable biomass. In general, the low cost estimates for alcohol fuels indicate that methanol produced on a large scale from low cost natural gas could compete with gasoline when oil prices are around 14¢/L ($27/bbl). The future market response to new forms of emissions regulation is unknown. It is possible that the new emissions standards will simply result in improved gasoline technologies, and that the market result of the new standards will simply be cleaner gasolines. However, in 1990 the U.S. Alternative Fuels Council agreed on a goal of a 25% share of nonpetroleum transportation fuels by 2005. Alcohol fuels could capture a large part of this 25% share of nonpetroleum fuels.

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Section: Uses Of Alcohol Fuelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol Fuels

Jackson¹,

Moyer²

2000

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology

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“…At room temperature it is a colorless liquid that is less dense than water, making it a good solvent and fuel. Methanol is mainly used as a feedstock for other chemicals such as formaldehyde [1], dimethyl ether [2,3], methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) [4], and acetic acid [5], though it is also employed as a fuel in passenger vehicles [6][7][8], racing cars [9] and direct fuel cells [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practical Experience With a Mobile Methanol Synthesis Device

Morgan

Acker

2014

Volume 2: Economic, Environmental, and Policy Aspects of Alternate Energy; Fuels and Infrastructure, Biofuels and Energy Storag

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Northern Arizona University has developed a methanol synthesis unit that directly converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol and water. The methanol synthesis unit consists of: a high pressure side that includes a compressor, a reactor, and a throttling valve; and a low pressure side that includes a knockout drum, and a mixer where fresh gas enters the system. Methanol and water are produced at high pressure in the reactor and then exit the system under low pressure and temperature in the knockout drum. The remaining, unreacted recycle gas that leaves the knockout drum is mixed with fresh synthesis gas before being sent back through the synthesis loop. The unit operates entirely on electricity and includes a high-pressure electrolyzer to obtain gaseous hydrogen and oxygen directly from purified water. Thus, the sole inputs to the trailer are water, carbon dioxide and electricity, while the sole outputs are methanol, oxygen, and water. A distillation unit separates the methanol and water mixture on site so that the synthesized water can be reused in the electrolyzer. Here, we describe and characterize the operation of the methanol synthesis unit and offer some possible design improvements for future iterations of the device, based on experience.

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“…A lower flame temperature reduces heat losses from the engine and increases the thermal efficiency. Ethanol's stoichiometric flame temperature is 2197 K as compared to 2266 K for gasoline, contributes to higher efficiency for a blend fuelled engine (Powell, 1975), (Kremer, 1996,).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%