Methanol fuel

Using estimates of proven reserves and commitments to energy and chemical uses of gas resources, the net surplus of natural gas in a number of different countries that might be available for major fuel methanol projects has been determined. These are more than adequate to support methanol as a motor fuel. 

Liquid fuels methanol, ethanol, higher hydrocarbons, oils Chemicals... 

Methanol, a clean burning fuel relative to conventional industrial fuels other than natural gas, can be used advantageously in stationary turbines and boilers because of its low flame luminosity and combustion temperature. Low NO emissions and virtually no sulfur or particulate emissions have been observed (83). Methanol is also considered for dual fuel (methanol plus oil or natural gas) combustion power boilers (84) as well as to fuel gas turbines in combined methanol / electric power production plants using coal gasification (85) (see Power generation). 

One strategy in limiting the formation of ozone and other photochemical oxidants has been the use (in the past) of low reactivity fuels in internal combustion engines. More recently, alternate fuels (methanol, for instance) have been proposed for regions that suffer from elevated levels of photochemical air pollution. The effect of switching to such a low-reactivity fuel may be seen in Equation E2 for methanol, which has a simple atmospheric reaction mechanism. 

The fuel utilized in the fuel cell is mainly hydrogen since its electrochemical reaction rate is much faster than other fuels. Methanol and formic add can directly partidpate in the electrochemical reaction, but their reaction rates are an order of magnitude lower than hydrogen. Therefore, hydrogen is usually produced from other fuels by using a separate fiiel proeessor and subsequently supplied to the fuel cell. 

Methanol and ethanol are alcohol fuels that can be produced from various renewable sources. Alcohol fuels are converted from biomass or other feedstocks using one or several conversion techniques. Both government and private research programs are finding more effective, less costly methods of converting biomass to alcohol fuels. Methanol was originally a by-product of charcoal production, but today it is primarily produced from natural gas and can also be made from biomass and coal. 

Our present transportation system and its infrastructure favor liquid fuels. Methanol or wood alcohol is a potential source or carrier of hydrogen. 

In DMFCs, the water balance analytical method has been used as a tool to study the fuel (methanol) and water crossover from the anode toward the cathode. Xu, Zhao, and He [120] and Xu and Zhao [180] performed a thorough investigation of how different cathode DLs and MPLs affected the total water crossover from the anode side. In order to be able to perform the water balance equations, they also collected the water at both outlets of the cell. This analysis technique was vital for them to be able to observe how different characteristics for fhe cafhode DL affect not only the overall performance of the fuel cell buf also fhe nef wafer drag coefficient and water crossover in DMFCs. 

ZSM-5 is a Mobil-proprietary, shape-selective zeolite which is used commercially in synthetic fuels (methanol-to-gasoline), petrochemicals (xylene isomerization, toluene disproportionation, benzene alkylation) and in petroleum refining (lube and... 

In addition to hydrogen as a fuel, methanol or ethanol can be directly converted into electricity in a DAFC, the great progress of which resulted from the use of a proton exchange membrane acting both as an electrolyte (instead of the aqueous electrolytes previously used) and as a separator preventing the mixing of fuel and oxidant. A DAFC can work at moderate temperatures (30-50 °C) for portable applications, but now the tendency is to look for new membranes that are less permeable to alcohol and... 

M70-M85 as defined by ASTM D-5797, Standard Specification for Fuel Methanol... 

Brinkman, Norman D, Eugene E. Ecklund and Roberta J. Nichols, Editors. 1989. Fuel Methanol A Decade of Progress. Warrendale, Pa. Society of Automotive Engineers. 

Little work has been done to measure the octane value of M85 and E85, but what has been done has shown their octane values to be only slightly degraded from pure methanol and ethanol [2.8], The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed specifications (D 5797 and D 5798) for fuel methanol and fuel ethanol [2.9,2.10]. Both specifications define three classes of... 

ASTM D 5797, Specification for Fuel Methanol M70-M85 for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines, American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pa. 19428-2959, 610-832-9585. 

Brinkman, N.D., et al., General Motors Specifications for Fuel Methanol and Ethanol, General Motors NAO Research and Development Center, Warren, Mich., November 1993. 

Design Guidelines for Bus Transit Systems Using Alcohol Fuel (Methanol and Ethanol) as an Alternative Fuel, August 19%... 

Much attention has been devoted in the professional journals and in the press to gasohol, and announcements of new ethanol plants and process improvements seem unending. A perspective on the problems and promise of gasohol is covered along with a status report on work in Brazil on (fuel) methanol from wood, not by destructive distillation used in the past, but by modern synthetic chemistry. Other promising new uses for... 

Bechtel Corporation, California Fuel Methanol Cost Stud Chevron Corporation, U.S., Vol. 1 (Executive Summary, Jan. 1989) Vol. 2, (Final Report, Dec. 1988), San Francisco, Calif., 1988-1989. 

In addition, methanol plants can be built in large sizes and today s standard plants amount to 2000 MTHD. Studies of complexes for coal based plants for the production of fuel methanol with capacities up to 30000 MTPDhave been carried out. 

Methanol is used as a starting material for the synthesis of acetic acid and for many types of adhesives, fibers, and plastics. It is also used (and such use may increase) as a motor fuel. Methanol is highly toxic to humans and can lead to blindness and death if ingested. 

---