ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF METHANOL AS A MOTOR FUEL

The use of methanol as a motor fuel or as a petrol blending component is of considerable interest from the environmental point of view. In blends of 15-20% methanol, the octane quality can be made satisfactory without lead additives. The use of straight methanol which requires modified fuel-air intake systems results in a significant reduction of oxides of nitrogen emissions. Carbon monoxide emission is very similar to co levels from petrol with same air-fuel ratio. As leaner mixtures can be used with methanol without consequent driving problems, the use of straight methanol should offer advantages in this area also. When methanol is used as fuel, the composition of hydrocarbon emissions is significantly changed. Emissions of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are considered to be carcinogenic, are extremely low. The advantages of methanol are therefore probably greater than would appear from analyses of total hydrocarbon emissions, even though aldehyde emissions are higher. Methanol of improved ignition quality seems to be of interest also for diesel engines. If future power sources such as gas turbines and stirling engines are considered, methanol has the potential of a universal fuel of low pollutant emissions. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/9170821097
• Corporate Authors:

  Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences

  Grev Turegaton 14, P.O. Box 5073
  S-102 42 Stockholm 5,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Persson, G
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 89-97
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Ingenioersvetenskapsakademien (IVA)
  • Publisher: Ingenioersvetenskapsakademien (IVA)
  • ISSN: 9170-821097

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Alcohols; Carbon monoxide; Conferences; Diesel engines; Diesel trucks; Environment; Exhaust gases; Fuel air mixtures; Fuel consumption; Gas turbines; Gases; Hydrocarbons; Ignition; Lead (Metal); Methanol; Nitric oxide; Nitrogen oxides; Octane number; Stirling engines; Turbine engines; Turbines
• Geographic Terms: Sweden
• Old TRIS Terms: Octane rating
• ITRD Terms: 7347: Alcohol; 7391: Carbon monoxide; 1394: Catalytic converter; 8525: Conference; 1314: Diesel engine; 2455: Environment; 232: Fuel consumption; 6734: Gas; 7367: Hydrocarbon; 1327: Ignition; 1303: Stirling engine; 8109: Sweden; 1313: Turbine
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00164387
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report No. 195 Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1978 12:00AM