METHANOL - A UNIVERSAL FUEL THAT REDUCES AIR POLLUTION

ATTRAKTIVT UNIVERSALBRAENSLE: METANOL MINSDAR LUFTFOERORENINGARNA

Methyl alcohol can be used as a motor fuel either as an admixture to pure petrol or as a substitute. Both applications are discussed in this article which is A translation of an address delivered at a methanol symposium arranged by IVA, the Swedish Academy of Engineering sciences. Other possible utilizations of methanol as fuel are mentioned but not described in detail. The data presented are based on results of full-scale tests performed by the volkswagen research department. Among the advantages of methanol as motor fuel are: (a) clean combustion. (b) can be delivered to fuel stations in a similar way as petrol. (C) combustion engines with a compression ratio of roughly 14:1 can be used. (D) methanol can be distilled from A number of raw materials. Problems which have to be solved are: (a) the calorific power is only half that for petrol which means that tanks twice as large would be needed. (B) difficulty in starting if the engine is cold. (C) methanol can be corrosive. A market price based on production and distribution costs would be competitive with that of petrol today assuming taxation to be calculated on a kwh-basis. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish Society of Engineers

  Box 40058
  S-10342 Stockholm 40,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Bernhavdt, W
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 26-31
• Serial:
  • Teknisk Tidskrift
  • Issue Number: 9

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Combustion; Compression; Corrosion; Costs; Engines; Fuels; Methanol; Motor fuels; Raw materials
• Old TRIS Terms: Compression ratio
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00142489
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 19 1977 12:00AM