Flexible fuel vehicle

In 1981, the Dutch company TNO in cooperation with the New Zealand government converted a gasoline engine to a flexible fuel vehicle by adding a fuel sensor. The sensor deterrnined the amount of oxygen in the fuel and then used this information to mechanically adjust the carburetor jets. 

Engines are also designed to use either gasoline or methanol and any mixture thereof (132—136). Such a system utilizes the same fuel storage system, and is called a flexible fueled vehicle (EEV). The closed loop oxygen sensor and TWC catalyst system is perfect for the flexible fueled vehicle. Optimal emissions control requires a fuel sensor to detect the ratio of each fuel being metered at any time and to correct total fuel flow. 

C. L. Myimg and co-workers. Research and Development of Hyundai Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVsJ, SAE 930330, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa., 1993. 

In 1997 a total 1.3 billion gals of ethanol fuel was produced in the United States. Proposed new low sulfur conventional gasoline standards could greatly increase the demand for ethanol since desulfurization may lower gasoline octane. Almost all fuel ethanol is used as gasohol, but some is used to make E-85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). E-85 can be used in flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) which can operate on gasoline or ethanol blends of to 85 percent ethanol. 

Ford Expects Output of Flexible Fuel Vehicles to Represent 10% of its U.S. Automotive Production. Purchasing. 12S(9) 9. 

Technological changes in the manufacture of power sources are required if they are to run on alternative fuels. The development of alternative fuels depends on automotive manufacturers making alternative fuel engines available while fuel suppliers produce and distribute fuels for these vehicles. Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which are also known as variable fuel vehicles, (VFVs) are designed to use several fuels. Most of the major automobile manufacturers have developed FFV prototypes and many of these use ethanol or methanol as well as gasoline. 

More flexible-fuel vehicles are available as manufacturers move... 

Bioethanol is the largest biofuel today and is used in low 5%—10% blends with gasoline (E5, E10), but also as E85 in flexible-fuel vehicles. Conventional production is a well known process, based on the enzymatic conversion of starchy biomass (cereals) into sugars, and fermentation of 6-carbon sugars with final distillation of ethanol to fuel grade. 

FAME FAO FBR FC FCV FFV FOB FPFC Fatty acid methyl ester Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fast-breeder reactor Fuel cell Fuel-cell vehicle Flexible-fuel vehicle Free on board Fuel-processor fuel cell... 

When ethanol is used in a standard spark ignition or compression ignition engine designed to bum conventional hydrocarbon-based fuels, ethanol performance varies substantially if no engine modifications are made, and it becomes difficult to rate the value of ethanol as an effective fuel. Consequently, flexible fueled vehicles (FFVs) or variable fueled vehicles (VFVs) have been developed to operate on either gasoline or alcohol-based fuels. These vehicles are equipped with on-board sensors and controls to adjust the spark advance and the fuel injector timing to help correct for the differences in fuel performance. 

The emission characteristics of E85 vehicles are not as well documented as for M85 vehicles however, Ford tested E85 in their 1996 model Taurus flexible fuel vehicle and found essentially no difference in tailpipe emissions compared to using the standard emissions testing gasoline (Indolene). In this test, the engine-out emissions of HC and NOx were lower than for gasoline, but ethanol s lower exhaust gas temperatures were believed to decrease catalyst efficiency slightly... 

Brass, bronze, and die cast zinc have been found to be corroded more quickly by methanol than by gasoline [3.5]. Copper is to be avoided, not only because it is likely to be corroded by methanol, but because it is not suitable for hydrocarbon fuels. (Flexible fuel vehicles use both methanol and gasoline, and practical methanol fuels now are anticipated to be part gasoline.)... 

The fuel lines onboard flexible fuel vehicles using ethanol will typically be designed to accommodate methanol fuels and should be more than adequate for ethanol. Most fuel system components designed for gasoline are likely also to be compatible with ethanol. In a test of a 1994 model fuel injected vehicle, only slight stiffening of the fuel line was observed [3.11]. No other materials compatibility problems were observed in the fuel system. 

FFV Flexible fuel vehicle—vehicles able to operate on gasoline, M85 or E85, or any mixture of the two gasoline and alcohol fuels. 

Flexible-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) Vehicles with a common fuel tank designed to run on varying blends of unleaded gasoline with either ethanol or methanol. 

It also advocates the production of so-called flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on higher than conventional 10% ethanol fuels. 

Natural gas and electricity provide the least air quality problems, but neither is without emission problems. Compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas seem particularly promising for use in buses and in large-fleet applications. The alcohol fuels, especially when blended with gasoline and used in flexible fuel vehicles,... 

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