Showing papers on "Alcohol fuel published in 1974"

Methanol as a gasoline extender: fuel economy, emissions, and high temperature driveability

Abstract: Methanol's potential as a gasoline extender has been evaluated, with data being obtained in the areas of fuel economy, exhaust emissions, and driveability. The results of tests with three cars, having carburetion spanning the range normally encountered in the existing car population, showed that methanol's effect on fuel economy and emissions could be directly related to its leaning effect on carburetion. The data suggest that any benefits in these two areas would only be significant for older, rich-operating cars. A 13-car driveability study indicated that the large increase in fuel volatility which occurs with the addition of methanol to gasoline could pose serious problems. A marked increase in vapor locking tendency was observed when no front-end volatility adjustments were made to the methanol blends. Stretchiness, a lack of expected response to throttle movement, was also found with the methanol blends. This operational characteristic, being related to excessively lean operation, was more pronounced with the newer cars tested. Phase separation is also a potential problem with methanol-gasoline blends. Data are presented which show the effect of including higher molecular weight alcohols along with the methanol. Phase separation still occurred in the presence of less than 1% water. Taken as a whole,more » the data suggest that, if it becomes available in large quantities, the use of methanol in applications other than in motor gasoline would be preferred.« less

Methanol--the "new fuel" from coal

Abstract: THE ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF AN AUTO FUEL FROM COAL ARE CONSIDERED. FROM BOTH BTU AND POLLUTION POINTS OF VIEW, METHANE IS AN EXCELLENT FUEL BUT SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS IN FUEL HANDLING AND CONSUMPTION ARE INVOLVED IN THE SUBSTITUTION OF A GASEOUS FUEL FOR A LIQUID FUEL. ALTHOUGH IT HAS NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES, HYDROGEN IS CONSIDERED A LONG-TERM SOLUTION AND IS DEPENDENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FUEL CONVERSION SYSTEMS SUCH AS FUEL CELLS. THE TECHNOLOGY FOR MAKING A HIGH QUALITY GASOLINE FROM COAL HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED. R&D EFFORTS TO PRODUCE CRUDE OIL FROM COAL ARE BEING CARRIED OUT BY A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BOTH ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER, METHANOL IS THE MOST DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE. THE U.S. BUREAU OF MINES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONDUCTING THOROUGH EVALUATORY STUDIES TO DETERMINE REALISTIC OPPORTUNITIES AND DIRECT R&D EFFORTS FOR OPTIMUM MANUFACTURE. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF METHANOL, INOOCTANE AND GASOLINE ARE TABULATED. METHANOL WOULD REQUIRE A VERY LARGE FUEL TANK BECAUSE OF ITS LOWER HEATING VALUE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION, AND BECAUSE IT PRODUCES MORE MOLES OF COMBUSTION PRODUCT, IT PROVIDES MORE POWER THAN GASOLINE. EXTENSIVE TESTS OF METHANOL BOTH AS A REPLACEMENT FOR AND AS A BLEND WITH GASOLINE HAVE YIELDED PROMISING RESULTS. RESULTS OF EXTENSIVE EXHAUST EMISSION TESTS SHOWED THAT THE EMISSIONS OF THE TEST CAR FUELED ON METHANOL AND A SINGLE CATALYTIC MUFFLER WERE WELL BELOW THE 1975-76 FEDERAL STANDARDS. THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOW EMISSION ARE REVIEWED. ALTHOUGH USE OF 100 PERCENT METHANOL WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF A MUCH LARGER CONSUMPTION AS A GASOLINE REPLACEMENT THAN THE BLENDED PRODUCT, THE LATTER HAS THE SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OF NOT REQUIRING MAJOR CHANGES IN STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES. METHANOL IS ALSO BEING CONSIDERED AS A FUEL FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY. ALTERNATIVE COAL GASIFICATION PROCESS FOR MAKING METHANOL ARE CONSIDERED. A COAL-GASIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, TO PRODUCE BOTH METHANE AND METHANOL USING FLUID BED COAL, IS OUTLINED. THE ECONOMICS OF METHANOL PRODUCTION FROM COAL ARE DISCUSSED.

Effect of increased fuel temperature on emissions of oxides of nitrogen from a gas turbine combustor burning ASTM jet-A fuel

Abstract: An annular gas turbine combustor was tested with heated ASTM Jet-A fuel to determine the effect of increased fuel temperature on the formation of oxides of nitrogen. Fuel temperature ranged from ambient to 700 K. The NOx emission index increased at a rate of 6 percent per 100 K increase in fuel temperature.