alcohol as engine fuel

8/13/2019 Alcohol as Engine Fuel

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ALCOHOLASENGINEFUEL


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AGENDA

Need & Availability

Properties

Merits & Demerits

Production Safety & Storage

Application

Engine / Vehicle Modifications

Performance and Emission Characteristics in SI

engine

Performance and Emission Characteristics in CI

engine


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MERITS

Can be obtained from a number of sources, both

and natural and manufactured.

High octane fuel.

Produces low over all emissions when compared togasoline.

Low sulphur content in the fuel

High latent heat of vaporization Cooler intake

process.


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DE-MERITS

Low energy content.

Produces more aldehydes when combusted inside

an engine.

More corrosive than gasoline. Poor cold weather starting characteristics.

Almost invisible flames.

Danger of storage tank flammability due to low

vapor pressure. Possibility of vapor lock in fuel delivery system.


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PRODUCTION

Methanol

Steam reformation of natural gas.

Ethanol

From grains like corn

From sugar cane


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APPLICATION

Ethanol

As E85 or E10 ( Gasohol)

Methanol

As M85 or M10


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METHANOL

Most common mixtures

M85 (85% methanol & 15% gasoline)

M10 (10% methanol & 90% gasoline)

Advantages

10% decrease in gasoline use.

Very attractive fuel for developing countries.


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ETHANOL

Gasohol - a mixture of 90% gasoline

and 10% ethanol.

E10 reduces the use of gasoline with no

modification needed to the automobile

engine.

E85 is basically an alcohol fuel with 15%

gasoline added to eliminate some of the

problems of pure alcohol (i.e., cold

starting, tank flammability, etc.,)


11/17

ENGINE& VEHICLEMODIFICATIONSFOR

SI ENGINEOPERATION

Alcohols are high octane fuels.

Allows increase in compression ratio 11:1 to 13:1

Alcohols contain half the heat energy of gasoline perliter. Calls for a larger storage tank

Stoichiometric air fuel ratio of alcohols is lesser thangasoline. Carb or fuel injector flow passages to be doubled.

Does not vaporize easily, cold starting problem. Mix some amount of gasoline

Slow burning of alcohol.

Spark advance.


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MODIFIEDCARTERCARBURETOR


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REFORMULATEDGASOLINE

A normal type of gasoline with a slightly modified

formulation and additives to help reduce engine

emissions.

Additives (OI, CI, MDA, Det, DCA)

Oxygenates such as methyl tertiary-butyl

ether(MTBE) and alcohols are added, such that

there is 1-3% oxygen by wt.

Positive side

Can be used directly without any modifications.

Negative side

Only moderate emission reduction, cost is increased,

use of petroleum products is not reduced


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OPTIONSFORUSAGEINCI ENGINES

Alcohol/diesel fuel solution

Alcohol diesel emulsions.

Alcohol fumigation

Dual fuel injection Surface ignition of alcohols

Spark ignition of alcohols

Alcohols containing ignition improvers.


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SURFACEIGNITIONALCOHOLCI ENGINE

alcohol as engine fuel

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