Exploring how to counteract the world's energy insecurity and environmental pollution, this volume covers the production methods, properties, storage, engine tests, system modification, transportation and distribution, economics, safety aspects, applications, and material compatibility of alternative fuels. The esteemed editor highlights the importance of moving toward alternative fuels and the problems and environmental impact of depending on petroleum products. Each self-contained chapter focuses on a particular fuel source, including vegetable oils, biodiesel, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, hydrogen, electric, fuel cells, and fuel from nonfood crops.

This work details the technical, environmental and business aspects of current methanol production processes and presents recent developments concerning the use of methanol in transportation fuel and in agriculture. It is written by internationally renowned methanol experts from academia and industry.

This monograph is based on methanol as a fuel for transportation sector, specifically for compression ignition (CI) engines. The contents present examples of utilization of methanol as a fuel for CI engines in different modes of transportation such as railroad, personal vehicles or heavy duty road transportation. The book also focuses on effect of methanol on combustion and performance characteristics of the engine. The effect of methanol on exhaust emission production, prediction and control is also discussed. It also discusses current methanol utilization and its potential, its effect on the engine in terms of efficiency, combustion, performance, pollutants formation and prediction. Part of the chapters are based on review of state-of-the-art while other chapters are dedicated to an original research. This volume will be a useful guide to professionals and academics involved in alternative fuels, compression ignition engines, and environmental research.

The first two editions of this title, published by SAE International in 1990 and 1995, have been best-selling definitive references for those needing technical information about automotive fuels. This long-awaited new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, yet retains the original fundamental fuels information that readers find so useful. This book is written for those with an interest in or a need to understand automotive fuels. Because automotive fuels can no longer be developed in isolation from the engines that will convert the fuel into the power necessary to drive our automobiles, knowledge of automotive fuels will also be essential to those working with automotive engines. Small quantities of fuel additives increasingly play an important role in bridging the gap that often exists between fuel that can easily be produced and fuel that is needed by the ever-more sophisticated automotive engine. This book pulls together in a single, extensively referenced volume, the three different but related topics of automotive fuels, fuel additives, and engines, and shows how all three areas work together. It includes a brief history of automotive fuels development, followed by chapters on automotive fuels manufacture from crude oil and other fossil sources. One chapter is dedicated to the manufacture of automotive fuels and fuel blending components from renewable sources. The safe handling, transport, and storage of fuels, from all sources, are covered. New combustion systems to achieve reduced emissions and increased efficiency are discussed, and the way in which the fuels’ physical and chemical characteristics affect these combustion processes and the emissions produced are included. There is also discussion on engine fuel system development and how these different systems affect the corresponding fuel requirements. Because the book is for a global market, fuel system technologies that only exist in the legacy fleet in some markets are included. The way in which fuel requirements are developed and specified is discussed. This covers test methods from simple laboratory bench tests, through engine testing, and long-term test procedures.

This book presents the fundamentals needed to understand the physical and chemical properties of alternative fuels, and how they impact refueling system design and the modification of existing garages for safety. It covers a wide range of fuels including alcohols, gases, and vegetable oils. Chapters cover: Alternative Fuels and Their Origins Properties and Specifications Materials Compatibility Storage and Dispensing Refueling Facility Installation and Garage Facility Modifications and more

This book discusses the emerging research centred on using methanol- whose excellent fuel properties, easy production and relative compatibility with existing technology- make it attractive to researchers looking to alternative fuels to meet the rising energy demand. The volume is divided into broadly 4 parts which discuss various aspects of the proposed methanol economy and the technological advances in engine design for the utilisation of this fuel. This book will be of interest to researchers and policy makers interested in using methanol as the principal source of ready and stored energy in societal functioning.