Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech
Methanol was used for a long time where we now use ethanol, but for some unknown reason (farmer's lobbyists?) thre was a switch. Even though methanol generally is made of waste wood product. And is about 1/3 the price per gallon.
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Methanol is cheaply made from natural gas but is not a very good motor fuel, it has a low energy density, it is more corosive and likely to separate. It also is more hazardous. (and it is likely the alcohol that gave gasahol a bad name)
IFF
Butanol fuel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Butanol could be made cheaply in place of methanol (as butanol is far superior to either ethanol or methanol as it is very similar to gasoline and much more suitable to blend with gasoline) (if thats what we feel we need to be doing)
I would support butanol production because we simply have a lot of domestic CNG to start with and because it can be made by yeast and bacteria from a variety of sources..
Personally I think a biofuel mix would be best, as researchers are finding out the chemical properties of blends of different fuels is much different than just one taken alone and different than expected. Likely a multiple alcohol blend made with a little top lube of esters and biodiesel components would provide a 100% gasoline compatible fuel. If it could be produced of waste and byproducts and still be a cost winner to gas you might see a major shift in what we burn without all the complaints about poor fuel economy.
Also butanol could be used in diesel engines and might be usefull in reducing the gelling point of biodiesel.
The more I read about butanol the more I wish half the dollars that went to ethanol would have gone to butanol as it has much more promise.
Also if half the money went to butanol we might have self sufficient alcohol plants now instead of fully subsidized. But then again crude is subsidized heavily also.
Hmm
http://www.americanenergyindependenc...olengines.aspx
A lot of info here that is applicable despite the obvious slant and some explanations of why ethanol isn't as bad as some think, at least on purpose built motors.
Cheers
Ryan