Showing papers on "Alcohol fuel published in 1994"

Liquid-Phase Methanol Synthesis: Catalysts, Mechanism, Kinetics, Chemical Equilibria, Vapor-Liquid Equilibria, and Modeling—A Review

Abstract: Methanol is one of the basic chemicals which is manufactured at an annual rate of over 10 million tons. Plant capacity for methanol rises and can be greatly increased eventually when using methanol as a fuel. One of the potential future uses of methanol is as a peaking fuel in coal gasification combined cycle power stations (e.g., in integrated gasification combined cycle, IGCC). In this application, methanol would be produced from the CO-rich gas during periods of low power demand. This methanol would be burned, if necessary, as an auxiliary fuel in combined-cycles gas turbines during periods of peak power demand. Methanol is a clean-burning fuel with versatile applications. As a combustion fuel, it provides extremely low emissions. Methanol can also be used as a primary transportation fuel or a fuel additive.

Aqueous fuel for internal combustion engine and method of combustion

Abstract: An aqueous fuel for an internal combustion engine is provided. The fuel comprises water from about 20 percent to about 80 percent by volume of the total volume of said fuel, and a carbonaceous fuel selected from the class consisting of ethanol, methanol, gasoline, kerosene fuel, diesel fuel, carbon-containing gaseous or liquid fuel, or mixtures thereof. A method for combusting an aqueous fuel in an internal combustion engine is provided. The method produces approximately as much power as the same volume of gasoline. The method comprises introducing air and aqueous fuel into a fuel introduction system for the engine. The fuel comprises water from about 20 percent to about 80 percent by volume of the total volume of the fuel, and a carbonaceous fuel from ethanol, methanol, gasoline, kerosene fuel, diesel fuel, carbon-containing gaseous or liquid fuel, or mixtures thereof, and introducing and combusting said air/fuel mixture in a combustion chamber or chambers in the presence of a hydrogen producing catalyst to operate the engine.

Performance studies with biomass-derived high-octane fuel additives in a two-stroke spark-ignition engine

Abstract: The intensive search for alternative fuels for spark-ignition engines has focused attention on fuels which can be derived from biomass. In this regard, orange oil and eucalyptus oil are found to be potential candidates for spark-ignition engines. Their properties are similar to gasoline in nature and they are miscible with gasoline without any phase separation. They can be used in spark-ignition engines with little engine modification as a blend with gasoline fuel. The high octane value of these fuels can enhance the octane value of the fuel when it is blended with low-octane gasoline. Hence, the knock-limited compression ratio (CR) can be further increased when these fuels are blended with gasoline. In the present work, 20% by volume of orange oil and eucalyptus oil were blended separately with gasoline and the performance, combustion and exhaust emission characteristics were evaluated at two different compression ratios. Test results indicate that the performance of fuel blends was much better than the gasoline fuel, in particular at the higher compression ratio. Hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emission levels in the engine exhaust were considerably reduced with the fuel blends at both the compression ratios tested. Between the two fuel blends tested, eucalyptus oil blend provides better performance than the orange oil blend. The maximum percentage improvement in the brake thermal efficiency obtained with eucalyptus oil blend is about 20.5% at 2 kW, 3000 r.p.m. and CR 9 over the normal gasoline engine.

Chemical clean combustion promoter compositions for liquid fuels used in compression ignition engines and spark ignition engines

Abstract: Catalytic clean-combustion-promoter compositions for use with finished gasoline or diesel fuels in compression ignition engines and spark ignition engines improve fuel efficiency and reduce air polluting emissions. The compositions utilize ketones as solvents, alcohols as cosolvents, nitroparaffin compounds as combustion supporters, and, to promote the chemical reactions, a catalytic medium is used. When the additive compositions are employed in microvolumetric concentrations ranging from 670 to 1,350 parts per million by volume of engine fuel, the chemical bonding of the carbon molecules with the oxygen molecules is increased during the combustion process, thus, producing a synergistic effect, which increases the combustion characteristic of the fuels to be burned and reduces the tendency of the fuel to create deposits, and therefore reduces the CO 2 and NO X emissions, and increases the fuel economy. Engines operating with the present compositions added to the fuel do not require the use of fuels with a high cetane or octane number for maximum performance. The present chemical clean-combustion-promoter compounds meet the standards of the EPA "Clean Air Act" as amended in 1990 for emissions from liquid hydrocarbon fuels.

The Steam Reforming of Methanol: Mechanism and Kinetics Compared to the Methanol Synthesis Process

Abstract: Publisher Summary Natural gas is the primary feedstock for methanol synthesis. The ICI low pressure process has become the dominant method of methanol manufacture although a range of converter designs have been developed in the last decade. In the past several years, a number of major North American car manufacturers have begun producing vehicles that use methanol or blends of methanol and gasoline as an internal combustion engine fuel. A much more efficient and environmentally benign means of utilizing methanol for transportation applications is to catalytically steam-reform it to a hydrogen-rich gas (“reformate”) which can be used by a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell to generate electrical power for an electric vehicle. Compared to an IC engine, fuel cells could increase energy efficiency significantly, reduce regulated emissions by 90% and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40%. From the perspective of the fuel cell powered automobile designer, therefore, methanol synthesis can be viewed as a method of storing hydrogen in a convenient liquid form.

Effect of use of low oxygenate gasoline blends upon emissions from California vehicles. Final report

Abstract: The objective of this project was to investigate the emissions effects of low-oxygenate gasoline blends on exhaust and evaporative emissions from a test fleet of California certified light-duty autos. Thirteen vehicles were procured and tested using four gasoline-oxygenate blends over three test cycles. The four gasoline blends were: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and 'match' and 'splash' blends of ethanol (in the 'match' blend the fuel Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) is held constant, while in the 'splash' blend the fuel RVP is allowed to increase). Hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide exhaust emissions were generally reduced for the oxygenated blends, the exception being the 'splash-blended' ethanol gasoline which showed mixed results. Older technology vehicles (e.g., non-catalyst and oxidation catalyst) showed the greatest emissions reductions regardless of gasoline blend, while later technology vehicles showed the smallest reductions. Evaporative emissions and toxics were generally reduced for ETBE, while results for the other blends were mixed.

Use of ferrocene

Abstract: A process for reducing carbonaceous deposits caused by the combustion of heavy fuel oil in high-compression, spontaneous-ignition internal combustion engines involves adding an additive such as ferrocene or ethyl ferrocene to a heavy fuel oil having a density of 0.9 to 1.01 kg/dm 3 in an amount of 1 to 100 ppm prior to combustion of the fuel oil and combusting the fuel oil in the high-compression, spontaneous-ignition internal combustion engine. The additive is dissolved in the heavy fuel oil.

Diesel Fuel Component Contribution to Engine Emissions and Performance: Final Report

Abstract: No. Blending Concepts 1 Minimum overall emissions 2 Maximum low aromatics light-cycle oil 3 Minimum aromatics with CN 55 to 56 4 Maximum aromatics with CN 55 to 56 5 Maximum cetane no., aromatics 15%–16% 6 Minimum cetane no., aromatics 15%–16% 7 50:50 mixture of blends 3 and 4 8 50:50 mixture of blends 5 and 6 9 Minimum emissions with typical LCO and LCGO %s 10 Minimum emissions, F-T products excluded U N IT ED TATES OF AM ER IC A • D EP AR TM ENT OF ENRGY • Engine Optimization

Alcohol fuels for internal combustion engines: onboard catalytic treatment of fuel and emissions

Abstract: Alcohol motor fuels, methanol and ethanol, can be produced within Sweden using domestic and renewable feedstocks, such as biomass from fast-growing energy crops. When fuels made from renewable energy sources are combusted, produced carbon dioxide is recycled through photosynthesis during the cultivation of energy crops. A catalytic method is presented for upgrading methanol prior to combustion. Methanol is decomposed to hydrogen and carbon monoxide and combusted in the engine. Neat methanol is used as baseline fuel to ensure fast response of the system and also to obtain high maximum power output. At low loads the fuel will consist mainly of decomposed methanol. When increasing the torque liquid methanol is added, ending with pure methanol at maximum torque. The relative efficiency gain compared with neat methanol operation is 15-20% in the torque interval 10-60 Nm. Since octane rating of methanol is higher than for gasoline the efficiency gain for this system compared with gasoline operation will be even higher. Detected NOx emissions were very low. A method for cold starting a neat methanol vehicle with the constraint of not using any auxiliary fuel additives or starting agents is investigated. A cold start reactor was constructed based on partial decomposition of methanol. An engine was started at -30 degree Celsius with this device. Alcohol fuels produce higher emissions of unburned alchols and aldehydes than petroleum-derived fuels. In order to achieve the potential emission advantages of alcohols fuels, catalysts should be designed to minimize specific fuel-related emissions. The first part of a project aiming at the development of tailor-made oxidation catalysts for diesel engines fueled by alcohol fuels, ethanol or methanol is presented. The main interest in this study was focused on low temperature oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes. Catalytic oxidation of ethanol and acetaldehyde in the presence of carbon monoxide and nitric oxide was studied using precious metal catalysts applied on monolithic cordierite substrates. Four different supports were studied. The results indicate that the choice of support affects the product distribution in ethanol oxidation. (A)

Fuel shut-off valve

Abstract: A fuel shut-off valve is particularly adapted for fuel systems using alcohol fuel wherein the alcohol fuel is typically pumped via an on-off valve to a fuel injection system and recirculated back to the alcohol fuel tank. The fuel shut-off valve of the invention is located between the fuel pump and the fuel injection system and is adapted to receive excess fuel from the injectors and direct it back to the fuel pump. In addition, a bypass valve arrangement directs fuel from the fuel pump to either the fuel injection system in the on or open position or back to the fuel pump when the valve is closed. The fuel shut-off valve also has a positive locking mechanism which retains the valve in the open or closed position.

Chemical and biological characterization of exhaust emissions from two bioethanol fuels containing different diesel ignition improvers

Abstract: This report describes the results of an investigation on the potential environmental and health impacts of exhaust emissions from ethanol fuel containing two different diesel ignition improvers, Avocet and Beraid. Avocet was used in fuel B and Beraid in fuel A. Emissions from these two ethanol fuels were compared with respect to contents of regulated and unregulated exhaust components, affinity of binding to the dioxin receptor and mutagenicity of compounds associated with particles and the semivolatile phase, risk estimates of exhaust components judged to be carcinogenic. Emissions from fuel B, contain smaller amounts of CO, particles, ethene and total particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, but higher amounts of butadiene than did emissions from fuel A. With respect to the other components measured, these two fuels were approximately the same. In general the two fuel emissions give similar responses in the biological test, perhaps with a tendency to lower values of S9-dependent mutagenicity in the case of fuel B. From the point of view of cancer risk, these two ignition improvers are, within the limits of uncertainty, approximately equivalent. In this case the somewhat (not significantly) higher emission of butadiene from fuel B may balance for the lower amounts of particles and ethene emitted from this fuel. (A)

Control method of fuel

Abstract: PURPOSE: To compensate offset of output voltage of exhaust gas oxygen sensor occurring in alcohol fuel of a fuel blend so as to maintain theoretical fuel/air ratio of the engine. CONSTITUTION: Output voltage of an exhaust gas oxygen sensor 44 is offset by the presence of alcohol in the fuel blend from the theoretical fuel/air ratio. A controller 10 is responsive to the metering value of intake air flow MAF, feedback signal corrected signal EGOS obtained from comparing output of the sensor 44 with a reference output, and percent methanol signal in a fuel blend, and introduces a bias value obtained based on proportional plus integral control to a feedback control of liquid fuel to the engine 28 through pulse width signal fpw. As a result, the theoretical fuel/air ratio is maintained even the sensor 44 is switched beyond the theoretical fuel/air ratio.

Vaporization characteristics of the alcohol-fueled spark ignition engine

Abstract: Alcohol fuels have been considered for use as automotive fuel since two energy crises in the 1970's, but they have a defect of high latent heat of vaporization. Therefore, in order to improve vaporization of methanol, the authors have made the fuel vaporizing device with which to heat the mixture and eliminate the fuel film flow. This paper is a study on the characteristics of vaporization and engine performance acoording to the change of heating water temperature by means of the fuel vaporizing device. The study shows that as the vaporization of mixture improves, the mixture of methanol becomes homogenized and the fuel film flow decreases, which results in the increase of vaporization rate. And the increase of the vaporization rate improves the engine performance of the alcohol-fueled spark ignition engine.

Impacts of alternative fuels on air quality

Abstract: The objective of this project was to determine the impact of alternative fuels on air quality, particularly ozone formation. The alternative fuels of interest are methanol, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas, and natural gas. During the first year of study, researchers obtained qualitative data on the thermal degradation products from the fuel-lean (oxidative), stoichiometric, and fuel-rich (pyrolytic) decomposition of methanol and ethanol. The thermal degradation of ethanol produced a substantially larger number of intermediate organic by-products than the similar thermal degradation of methanol, and the organic intermediate by-products lacked stability. Also, a qualitative comparison of the UDRI flow reactor data with previous engine test showed that, for methanol, formaldehyde and acetone were the organic by-products observed in both types of tests; for ethanol, only very limited data were located.

Fuel for internal combustion engines and turbines

Abstract: A fuel for internal combustion engines and turbines based on hydrocarbons and additives has a sufficient amount of ozonization products A usual hydrocarbon-containing fuel is ozonized in a manner known per se or a small amount of onzonized fuel is added to untreated fuel