A methanol-from-wood waste facility having a capacity of 50 million gallons per year requires 1,500 ovendry tons (ODT) of wood waste per day. The yield of methanol from wood is about 38 percent, or about 100 gallons per ODT of wood. This yield is based on all process energy required coming from the wood waste. At a wood waste cost of $15/ODT, the selling price of methanol is estimated at $0.77/gal; at $34/ODT, the selling price is $0.96/gal. That was from a post from the US Forestry. Indy cars ran ICE engines on it for decades. Why is methanol not being groomed as a greener ICE engine fuel??
Methanol
- Thread starter redbone3
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Methanol has 45% of the energy density and is more expensive to produce compared to gasoline
Methanol is ridiculously corrosive and requires a significant increase in robustness to pretty much every part of the fuel system.
Like, everything that's terrible about ethanol is 2x worse for methanol. Great race fuel though.
Also, 50 million gallons per year is cute. The US uses 369 million gallons of gasoline a day.
Like, everything that's terrible about ethanol is 2x worse for methanol. Great race fuel though.
Also, 50 million gallons per year is cute. The US uses 369 million gallons of gasoline a day.
To BMWATD's point, although renewable, methanol is not the greatest fuel from a BTU content standpoint. On the other hand it sure does make sense in local economies where bio feed stocks are plentiful. Brazil uses Ethanol almost exclusively in thier economy where the production is possible using sugar cane feedstocks.
MolaKule
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Methanol is also about 12 times more toxic than ethanol.
toxedfoundation.org
Methanol Toxicity
Methanol, sometimes called wood alcohol, is the simplest of the class of chemicals chemists call alcohols. Ethanol, the spirit many enjoy in beer, wine, and cocktails, is closely related. Both can be made naturally when yeast ferment the natural chemicals in grains and fruits. And like all...
toxedfoundation.org
I realize it is not an ideal fuel. However, I think it could be used in an ICE engine that was designed for it (Indy cars did). It could be produced in great numbers if given the push that batteries have been given. It's a lot more energy dense than batteries and doesn't require an enormous increase in our electrical grid and production capacity. Although it would require a special fuel system, it wouldn't need a catalystic converter, so that might be a wash. I don't think there is a perfect solution to the fuel problem.
I have no scientific evidence but I believe methanol could be added up to 20% in our fuel and ran in vehicles that are suitably designed to handle ethanol.
It’s a safety risk to first responders in a crash. There’s other reasons methanol isn’t used outside of RC and Top Fuel drag racing…
My good sir, how is it the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims that a switch to methanol fuel would reduce the number of
automotive fuel related fires by 90% compared with gasoline, saving hundreds of lives each year ?
automotive fuel related fires by 90% compared with gasoline, saving hundreds of lives each year ?
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No way I’d ever use methanol. Only fuel going in my vehicle is gasoline. Obviously you didn’t research much about toxicity and hazards of methanol. It’s used for biodiesel production and other good things I suppose.
there are drawbacks, but it's hard to know which one u are referring to without being specific...
I love sprint car racing and methanol is used in sprint cars for a number of reasons, one being safety. Methanol is less volatile than gasoline, greatly reducing the risk of explosion or flash fire.
I love sprint car racing and methanol is used in sprint cars for a number of reasons, one being safety. Methanol is less volatile than gasoline, greatly reducing the risk of explosion or flash fire.
About 45 years ago, ARCO sold fuel that was 90% Gasoline,
5% Methanol and
5%. co-solvents.
ARCO also sold Engine Oil with Graphite added. (Oil was BLACK).
What were they thinking?
5% Methanol and
5%. co-solvents.
ARCO also sold Engine Oil with Graphite added. (Oil was BLACK).
What were they thinking?
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