Methanol fuel explosivity

Man-made contaminants come primarily from the combustion of hydrocarbons and the aforementioned impurities in the hydrocarbons that cause fuel-side contaminants. The combustion of hydrocarbons, such as coal in power plants or gasoline in cars, produces SO, and NO, emissions in the atmosphere. SO, and NO, are two important airborne contaminants that are the subject of many studies (Gould et al., 2009 Nagahara et al, 2008). Other man-made contaminants include road de-icers, such as MgCl2, which can have similar effects as sea salt, and the methanol in windshield wiper fluid. Man-made battlefield contaminants can lead to permanent performance losses in PEMFCs (Moore et al., 2000). Their sources include the combustion products of heavy fuels, explosive products, and chemical agents. 

Two types of alcohols were investigated bio-methanol and bio-ethanol. Methanol (methyl alcohol) is used as a solvent (soluble in fats, resins and varnishes), also used in the pharmaceutical component of fuel for aircraft (the main component of fuel), explosives (e.g. C4), as fuel in internal combustion engines such as speedway motorbikes, used with caustic solutions or acids to obtain methyl esters, a basic raw material for polyoxymethylene (polyoxymethylene, polyformaldehyde). Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries (alcoholic fermentation) and cosmetics it is also used as a solvent. Alcohol may also be used to fuel diesel engines if there are good lubrication injector nozzles and the alcohol is mixed with a small (5-20%) amount of oil. 

The explosion limits have been determined for liquid systems containing hydrogen peroxide, water and acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, ethanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, methanol, 2-propanol or propionaldehyde, under various types of initiation [1], In general, explosive behaviour is noted where the ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water is >1, and if the overall fuel-peroxide composition is stoicheiometric, the explosive power and sensitivity may be equivalent to those of glyceryl nitrate [2],... 

The ethylene oxide had many uses for the Krauch-Schneider-Buetefisch Sparte. It was also the silent, colorless assistant of the Ter Meer Sparte. Ter Meer s pharmaceutical division could take the excess methanol, produced by Schneider for his anti-freezes and fuels, and turn it into shaving lotions and liniments. Methanol could be converted, in solid forms, to two deadly explosives — nitropenta and hexogen. And Ter Meer could make glycol (Prestone) react doubly with itself to produce diglycol, an intermediate in the manufacture of explosives. 

Methane has an invisible flame and can be explosive in a closed space such as a fuel tank although it is less flammable than gasoline and results in less severe fires when ignited. Colorants may be added to help identify the flame and baffles or flame arresters at the opening of the tank can be used to repress the accidental ignition of methanol vapors. 

It was discovered in the late nineteenth century that coal can be incompletely burned to yield a gas consisting primarily of CO and H2, and many people were undoubtedly asphyxiated and kUled by explosions before these processes were harnessed successfully. We wfil see later that the use of a CO + H2 mixture (now called synthesis gas) for the production of chemicals has had an important role in chemical synthesis (it was very important for explosives and synthetic fuels in both World Wars), and it is now one of the most promising routes to convert natural gas and coal into liquid diesel fuel and methanol. We will describe these processes in more detail in later chapters. 

War-time Germany was an empire built on coal, air and water. 84.5% of her aviation fuel, 85% of her motor fuel, more than 99%> of all her rubber, 100% of her concentrated nitric acid —the base substance for all military explosives — and 99%> of her no less important methanol were synthesized from these... 

Since 1966 hexanitrostilbene (HNS) and since 1978 triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) are produced commercially (Fig. 1.3). Both secondary explosives show excellent thermal stabilities and are therefore of great interest for the NAVY (fuel fires) and for hot deep oil drilling applications (Fig. 1.3). Especially HNS is known as a heat- and radiation-resistant explosive which is used in heat-resistant explosives in the oil industry. The brisance of HNS is lower than that of RDX, but the melting point of approx. 320 °C is much higher. HNS can directly be prepared from trinitrotoluene through oxidation with sodium hypochlorite in a methanol/THF solution ... 

Methanol is used for methylation, and is the alcohol most easily esterified. It is used in the preparation of formaldehyde and methyl esters (e.g., dimethyl terephtha-late, methyl methacrylate, methyl formate). It is also employed as a solvent for cellulose nitrate, colophony, shellac, and urea resins in the explosives and paint industries. Furthermore, it is used as an antifreeze, fuel, and extracting agent. Methanol is toxic although cases of poisoning are extremely rare if it is correctly used. 

Fuel such as methanol used in FCs is flammable and the chance of explosion is high. 

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