https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8589931/file/8609217.pdf

Methanol as a fuel for internal combustion engines

Methanol has been promoted as an alternative transportation fuel from time to time over the past forty years. In spite of significant efforts to realize the vision of methanol as a practical transportation fuel in the US, such as the California methanol fueling corridor of the 1990s, it did not succeed on a large scale. This white paper covers all important aspects of methanol as a transportation fuel.

/pdf/methanol-as-an-alternative-transportation-fuel-in-the-u-s-onywnoxpnz.pdf

Methanol as an Alternative Transportation Fuel in the U.S.: Options for Sustainable and/or Energy-Secure Transportation

Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a knock control fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, and CMCV, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.

Method and system for controlling fuel usage

Toward the end of this century the shortfall of supply below demand of the products of natural crude oil will become severe. Research is already well under way to provide alternative fuels for spark ignition engines which will be independent of natural crude oil. These include fuels from oil shales and tar sands, as well as synthetic fuels, alcohols, and gases; sources include coal, natural gas and biological origins. These fuels will cost two to three times as much in real terms as gasoline from oil does now, so an even stronger emphasis on fuel economy will be required. Most of these alternative fuels are more suited to the spark ignition engine than the compression-ignition engine, and this paper predicts that the changeover to them will cause an increase rather than a decrease in the market penetration of the spark ignition engine. It is concluded that the alternative fuel most likely to gain general acceptance is synthetic gasoline made from coal or natural gas, or in some areas from agricultural by-products.

Alternative fuels for spark ignition engines

There will be a need for alternative fuels to power spark-ignition engines. (An alternative fuel is defined here as one whose production does not depend on natural crude oil from wells.) Most promising alternative engine fuels, except vegetable oils, are better suited to spark ignition than to compression ignition due to their poor octane numbers and good octane numbers. Thus increased use of such fuels will tend to increase rather than decrease the market proportion for spark-ignition engines.

Alternative fuels for spark-ignition engines

Laboratory and road tests showed methanol to be an effective octane booster Adding 10% methanol to unleaded gasoline raised the road octane 2 to 3 numbers However, sinificant deterioration in driveability tests occurred because of methanol's leaning effect The water sensitivity of methanol/gasoline requires a separate fuel distribution system Fuel storage in a vehicle must be protected from water absorption Corrosion and degradation problems occur in the vehicle fuel system where methanol/gasoline mixtures contact lead, magnesium, aluminum, and some plastics Methanol burned more efficiently under lean conditions than gasoline However, the cold start problems require a separate starting fuel Methanol is not a useful fuel additive for existing unmodified cars Methanol could be used effectively in special vehicles designed to handle the corrosion, water absorption, and vaporization characteristics The cost of manufacture and distribution in a separate system that overcomes the water sensitivity problem will determine the extent of methanol's use as a vehicular fuel

R.H. Lindquist

Papers

Methanol as a motor fuel or a gasoline blending component