ALCOHOL AS ENGINE FUEL

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

MERITS
Can be obtained from a number of sources, both and natural and manufactured. High octane fuel. Produces low over all emissions when compared to gasoline. Low sulphur content in the fuel High latent heat of vaporization Cooler intake process.

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.

PRODUCTION

Methanol

Steam reformation of natural gas.

Ethanol
From grains like corn From sugar cane

APPLICATION

Ethanol

As E85 or E10 ( Gasohol)

As M85 or M10

Methanol

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.

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.,)

ENGINE & VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS FOR SI ENGINE OPERATION

Alcohols are high octane fuels.

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

Alcohols contain half the heat energy of gasoline per liter.

Calls for a larger storage tank

Stoichiometric air fuel ratio of alcohols is lesser than gasoline.

Carb or fuel injector flow passages to be doubled.

Does not vaporize easily, cold starting problem.

Mix some amount of gasoline

Spark advance.

Slow burning of alcohol.

MODIFIED CARTER CARBURETOR

REFORMULATED GASOLINE
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. Only moderate emission reduction, cost is increased, use of petroleum products is not reduced

Negative side

OPTIONS FOR USAGE IN CI 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.

SURFACE IGNITION ALCOHOL CI ENGINE