Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This picture says it all.
Diesel has better thermal efficiency and better longevity than gas engines do. That makes a big difference in heavy duty work, and even for many who want the most economical way to transport themselves around. I can't see how anything but perhaps a diesel electric (similar to a train) would work for heavy duty hauling vehicles
I post that same picture all the time. Few people take the time to understand it.
1) Gasoline and Diesel fuel have very much the same energy PER POUND (per unit weight, G, KG, Ounce)
2) Thermal efficiency of common, modern, internal combustion gasoline engines is in the 20% to mid 30% range. (cars trucks generators) Remember, thermal efficiency at idle is exactly zero! The modern Prius touches on 40% in some operational zones! Modern larger diesels can approach 40%.
3) While ethanol does not contain as much energy, either by mass, or by volume, Ethanol fueled engines CAN MATCH modern diesel engines in thermal efficiency!
4) A high compression ratio, and the resulting better expansion ratio is a major factor in thermal efficiency.
5) The surface area to volume ratio of a cylinder strongly favors larger cylinders! As more surface area per displacement will transfer heat out of the combustion chamber more effectively, thereby lowering thermal efficiency.
Hard working engines could be ethanol, propane or LNG fueled without any real change in performance or thermal efficiency. They simply would have to carry more fuel volume for a particular job.
Ricardo (as have many others) has developed an ethanol fueled engine with excellent thermal efficiency and overall excellent MPG. It's designed as you would expect. Very high compression ratio, direct injection, turbocharged and very, very tough.
This is one possible answer to the diesel emissions situation. There are large trucks successfully powered by ethanol. The HP produced by well designed ethanol engines far exceeds diesel engines. Allowing for a smaller engine. For a wild by absurd example, the Honda S2000 guys running on E-85 fuel regularly make 750HP from 2.2L displacement, reliably. As there is near zero risk of damaging detonation.
Here is Scania's 3rd generation heavy duty Ethanol truck engine: