Please refer to my posting on this blog in 29^th November 2008,

Given below are other findings about alternative fuels and here I am referring to Methanol as probable contingent. Bold types highlight my approval. I feel this is the last in search for alternative to petrol. If you remember, I had put five articles to discuss this problem and this is the sixth. My tests have convincingly shown to me that methanol-vegetable oil mix is the answer to our problem. First, I have shown probable methods to produce methanol, in bold types.

Production methods -

In 1923, the German chemists Alwin Mittasch and Mathias Pier, working for BASF, developed a means to convert synthesis gas (a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen) into methanol. A patent filed in Jan 12 1926 (reference no. 1,569,775). This process used a chromium and manganese oxide catalyst, and required extremely vigorous conditions—pressures ranging from 50 to 220 atm, and temperatures up to 450° C. This process, not recommended in view of other more advantageous processes available.

Modern methanol production has been made more efficient through use of catalysts (commonly copper) capable of operating at lower pressures, the modern Low Pressure Methanol (LPM) was developed by ICI in the late 1960s with the technology owned by Johnson Matthey who is a leading licensor of methanol technology. The license of Matthey is obsolete now.

Today, the most widely used catalyst is a mixture of copper, zinc oxide, and alumina first used by ICI in 1966. At 5–10 MPa (50–100 atm) and 250 °C, it can catalyze the production of methanol from (water gas / syngas) carbon monoxide and hydrogen with high selectivity. All patents are now obsolete.  

For instance, woody biomass gasified in gasifier to water gas (a hydrogen-rich syngas). The water gas / syngas synthesized to methanol using standard methods. (as given above) The net process is carbon neutral since the CO2 by-product is required to produce biomass via photosynthesis. Therefore, is acceptable to Kyoto protocol. 

Any of the above processes are available for production of methanol. As for fuel use, no need to further purify it since the other constituents produced are also combustible and add to the fuel value. After cooling the liquid, mix it with suitable quantity of vegetable oil, preferably palm oil. Many other oils need similar test to finalize the process. And our alternative to petrol is ready!  

In addition to direct use as a fuel, in the early 1970s, Mobil developed a methanol to gasoline process for producing gasoline ready for use in vehicles. One such industrial facility is operating at Motunui in New Zealand since 1980s.

During the 1990s large quantity of methanol was in use in the United States to produce gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). While MTBE no longer marketed in the U.S., it is still widely used in other parts of the world. Most probably at behest of petroleum industry so that their waste produces, put to use. All patents are now obsolete.

To fuel internal combustion engines use of Methanol is very common on a limited basis. On racecourse and other similar sports, they prefer methanol because if any fire takes place it is more easily extinguished by plain water spray. This fire flame is transparent and so drivers of cars following that burning vehicle can see through. This reduces the risk of multiple accidents.

Disadvantages -

One of the drawbacks of methanol as a fuel is its corrosiveness to some metals, including aluminium. Methanol, although a weak acid, attacks the oxide coating that normally protects the aluminium from corrosion.

The resulting methoxide salts are soluble in methanol, resulting in clean aluminium surface, which readily oxidizes by some dissolved oxygen. In addition, the methanol can act as an oxidizer:

6 CH3OH + 2 Al → 2 Al(OCH3)3 + 3 H2

This reciprocal process effectively corrodes metal away destroying the life of engine parts. Concerns with methanol's corrosiveness managed effectively, by using methanol compatible materials and fuel additives that serve as corrosion inhibitors.

Alternatively, use of stainless steel for the engine body and steel-topped aluminium pistons can solve the problem of corrosiveness appreciably.

Advantages -

Today, China uses more than one billion gallons of methanol per year as a transportation fuel in both low level blends used in existing vehicles, and as high level blends in vehicles designed to accommodate the use of methanol fuels.

During World War II, in several German military rockets they used methanol with moniker, pure M-Stoff, and in a mixture as C-Stoff.

Methanol mixed with water and injected into high performance diesel engines for an increase of power and a decrease in exhaust gas temperature is a common practice. This is called, water-methanol injection.

Methanol mixed with 5 to 8 percent of vegetable oil (vegoil ) is best suited to work as a fuel in place of petrol. Various vegetable oils are tried and palm oil is working very well. Trials with other vegetable oils to get general idea of this method are necessary. Total energy in methanol is lesser than that of petrol and so addition of vegetable oil improves the energy value and also adds other lubricating qualities and reduces corrosiveness. We can call such a mixture Methavegoil.

Methanol is readily biodegradable in both aerobic (oxygen present) and anaerobic (oxygen absent) environments. Methanol will not persist in the environment. The "half-life" for methanol in groundwater is just one to seven days, while many common gasoline components have half-lives in the hundreds of days (such as benzene at 10–730 days). Since methanol is miscible with water and biodegradable, methanol is unlikely to accumulate in groundwater, surface water, air or soil.

Steel body of engine makes the engine very lightweight and so payload capacity increases considerably. Methanol has no knocking effect that makes the engine more quite than even petrol engine. Therefore, friends, we really need not worry about petrol and diesel problem. The only worry I have is that our government should encourage Automobile manufacturers like Bajaj and Tata to make engines suitable for Methavegoil based vehicles. Large quantity of vege-waste is available in the form of sugarcane waste, cotton waste and such many types. That should be put for conversion to water gas (syngas) and then the methanol. Different industries such as Wipro and other oil mills can set up to do the mixing.  Engineering giants like L&T can make the suitable plants for the conversion of veg waste to methanol.    

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Ashok Kothare’s Blog

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