Alcohol fuel

About: Alcohol fuel is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2030 publications have been published within this topic receiving 42757 citations.

The Potential for liquid fuels from agriculture and forestry in Australia

Abstract: This report is a preliminary assessment of the potential for production of liquid fuels for transport from agricultural and forestry resources in Australia in the next 20 to 40 years, using existing or near- term technologies. These resources include both residues from existing production and crops grown especially as fuel crops on lands that are not used for crops at present. If properly managed they would be renewable fuel resources that could supply liquid fuels indefinitely. The liquid fuels considered are ethanol and methanol. The estimated total net liquid fuel from the sources considered is approximately 420 pj, which is more than half of the 1977-78 use of liquid fuel in transport in Australia of about 700 pj. Thus these sources could make a significant contribution to our liquid fuel needs. The main potential contribution would be from a virtual doubling of the cereal grain and the sugarcane industries. Pure alcohol fuels at the conversion plant using present commercial technology could cost more than three times the 1975-76 price of equivalent motor spirit ex refinery. Adding taxes, distribution costs, and retail costs, their estimated retail cost would be more than twice the retail price of motor spirit. The estimated cost of production of methanol from coal is much lower than the cost of alcohol fuels from biomass. There are no economic reasons for turning to the renewable resource- based alcohol fuels at present. (TRRL)

High-Temperature Chemistry in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: In Situ Optical Studies.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuels cells (SOFCs) are promising devices for versatile and efficient power generation with fuel flexibility, but their viability is contingent upon understanding chemical and material processes to improve their performance and durability. Newly developed in situ optical methods provide new insight into how carbon deposition varies with different hydrocarbon and alcohol fuels and depends on operating conditions. Some findings, such as heavier hydrocarbon fuels forming more carbon than lighter fuels, are expected, but other discoveries are surprising. For example, methanol shows a greater tendency to form carbon deposits than methane at temperatures below 800 °C, and kinetically controlled steam reforming with ethanol at high temperatures (∼800 °C) is less detrimental to SOFC performance than operating the device with dry methanol as the fuel. In situ optical techniques will continue to provide the chemical information and mechanistic insight that is critical for SOFCs to become a viable energy conversion technology.

Emissions From an Engine Fueled With Biodiesel-kerosene Blends

Abstract: Biofuels are renewable energy sources for internal combustion engines and they have low emissions. They are increasingly used as an alternative to petroleum fuels. In this work, three different fuel types, such as commercial diesel fuel (D2), 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel fuel called here as B20, and 80% biodiesel and 20% kerosene, called here as BK20, were used in a single cylinder, four stroke, direct injection compression ignition engine. Kerosene was used as an additive to approach the properties of biodiesel to D2. The effects of the blends on CO, NOx, and smoke emissions as well as on some of the performance parameter of the engine were investigated. The prepared fuel, BK20 blend, has almost the same fuel properties as conventional diesel fuel. The experimental results showed that the exhaust emissions for BK20 were fairly reduced as compared to diesel fuel as well as B20. Besides, the performance of CI engine was improved with the use of the BK20, especially in comparison to B20. Results su...