ANALYSIS OF DISSOCIATED ALCOHOL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR TRANSPORTATION

The design and testing of an automotive fuel system that provides hydrogen-rich gases to an internal combustion engine by catalytically cracking, or dissociating, methanol on board the vehicle are described. The vaporization and dissociation of methanol absorb heat from the engine exhaust and increase the lower heating value of the fuel by approximately 22%. In addition, raising the compression ratio and burning with excess air increase the engine thermal efficiency are presented. Engine dynamometer test results with dissociated methanol demonstrated improvements in brake thermal efficiency compared to gasoline of up to 50% depending on engine speed and torque. Lower speeds and torques produce the largest improvements. Maps of exhaust temperature and exhaust heat contented. The exhaust temperature is almost always high enough for dissociation to occur, but at lower power outputs, there is only enough exhaust energy for partial dissociation of the methanol. This concept also applies to combustion turbines. Steam reformed methanol allows higher efficiency and more power compared to petroleum fuels, liquid methanol, or dissociated methanol. An analysis of the potential technical and economic advantages of this approach is presented along with an outline of a recently initiated experimental program to verify them.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper from the Workshop on Renewable Fuels and Advanced Power Sources for Transportation, Denver, Colorado, June 17, 1982.
• Authors:
  • Karpuk, M E
  • Finegold, J G
  • McKinnon, J T
• Publication Date: 1982-6

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 211-224

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chemical processes; Compression; Dissociation; Exhaust gases; Heating (Structures); Internal combustion engines; Methanol; Temperature; Thermal efficiency; Volatilization
• Old TRIS Terms: Compression ratio; Cracking process /chemical/
• Subject Areas: Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391722
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Energy Research Abstracts
• Report/Paper Numbers: SERI/CP-234-1707
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 30 1985 12:00AM