Methyl fuel

Methylal Research project on direct methylal fuel cell. 

Laux, P. G. (1977). The Catalytic Production and Mechanism of Formation of Methyl Fuel. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Alcohol Fuel Technology. Wolfsburg, Germany, November 21. 

Use Manufacture of formaldehyde, acetic acid, and dimethyl terephthalate chemical synthesis (methyl amines, methyl chloride, methyl methacrylate) antifreeze solvent for nitrocellulose, ethylcellulose, polyvinyl butyral, shellac, rosin, manila resin, dyes denaturant for ethanol dehydrator for natural gas fuel for utility plants (methyl fuel) feedstock for manufacture of synthetic proteins by continuous fermentation source of hydrogen for fuel cells home-heating-oil extender. 

The synthesis gas, after the customary shift conversion and purification, is delivered at synthesis gas specifications to the compressors for the methanol synthesis loop. This operates as a series of catalytic converters, which have advantages over the systems used conventionally both as to the fiow arrangement and catalyst used in the Wentworth process. Sulfur is removed in the elemental form but the crude methyl fuel retains the higher alcohols and other impurities produced in small amounts (2-3%). They contribute to its value as a fuel. 

The Methyl Fuel produced has a higher heating value (HHV) of 20,000,000 Btu/ton and it requires an input of from to 2 times as much heat based on the coal s HHV. Thus the overall energy conversion is in the range of 50 to 65% and the lower efficiencies in this range are for poorer coals. About 2 tons of a subbituminous coal as mined with 8600 Btu per pound HHV will produce 1 ton of Methyl Fuel at an overall conversion efficiency of 58%. 

Methyl Fuel may be delivered readily as a liquid in pipelines or standard tankers and stored in usual tanks. Environmental problems are practically nil in production, use, and transportation. Since it is water soluble, spillage at sea would not be disastrous. 

Extended operation in large power plants has shown that Methyl Fuel can be burned under boilers to generate steam with major advantages over usual oils such as no sulfur oxides, no particulates, and very low nitrogen oxides. The only necessary retrofit may be a different orifice in the fuel injection nozzle. 

The cost of electric power will be the sum of the cost of Methyl Fuel at the mine-mouth conversion plant, plus the cost of its transportation, and its power generation with gas turbines. With all of the capital costs included, one very large (3000 MW) complex will be about 4.00 per kilowatt hour based on 1978 dollars, coal at 570/1,000,000 Btu at the Methyl Fuel plant, and about 4500 km of ocean transport. 

Klier, K., "Methanol and Methyl Fuels from Syngas, paper presented at... 

Liquid synthetic fuels include shale oil and its various fractions coal liquids by cooking, by hydrogenation, and by Fischer-tropsch synthesis methyl fuel from coal or from overseas natural gas and liquid products from biomass, probably by gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. 

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