Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Methanol Fuel shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Methanol Fuel offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Methanol Fuel at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Methanol Fuel? Wrong! If the Methanol Fuel is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Methanol Fuel then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Methanol Fuel? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Methanol Fuel and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Methanol Fuel wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Methanol Fuel then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Methanol Fuel site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Methanol Fuel, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Methanol Fuel, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Methyl alcohol, wood spirits, and Methanol
Methanol has been considered as a fuel, mainly in combination with gasoline. Lately it has received less attention than
ethanol, possibly because of pressure from the ethanol lobby. Today it's generally produced using
methane (the chief constituent of natural gas) as a raw material, but it can also be produced by pyrolysis of many organic materials or by Fischer Tropsch from
synthetic gas. Production of methanol from synthesis gas using Biomass-To-Liquid can offer methanol production from biomass at efficiencies up to 75%. This has a potential to offer methanol fuel at a low cost and with great benefits to the environment. These production methods are however not suitable for small scale production, so it's not advisable to try to produce methanol from renewable resources like wood on a small (personal use) scale. Both methanol and ethanol burn at lower temperatures than gasoline, and both are less volatile, making engine starting in cold weather difficult.
When using methanol as a fuel in spark ignition engines it can offer an increased thermal efficiency and increased power output compared with gasoline due to its high octane rating and high heat of vaporisation. It's low energy content of 19.7 MJ/kg and
stoichiometric air fuel ratio of 6.42:1 do however mean that fuel consumption (on volume or mass basis) will be high. This also makes the charge rather wet and combined with the formation of acidic products during combustion wear of valves, valveseats and cylinder can be high. Certain additives can be added to the oil in order to neutralize these acids. Methanol is also corrosive on the fuel system, although this problem isn't any worse than for ethanol. In fact the opposite may be true.
Toxicity
Methanol is a toxic product; extensive exposure to it could lead to permanent health damage, including blindness. US maximum allowed exposure in air (40 h/week) are 1900 mg/m³ for ethanol, 900 mg/m³ for gasoline, and 260 mg/m³ for methanol. It is however less volatile than gasoline and this decreases evaporative emissions but increases the risk of a fuel tank fire. Both in the atmosphere and in the liver, methanol is oxidized into two potent toxins:
formaldehyde (used as a preservative for dead organic matter in laboratories), and formic acid (the poison found in ant stings). Catalytic converters will however break down most of these two toxins in a manner similar to hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxide, or carbon monoxide molecules which they normally dispose of when the catalytic converter reaches operating temperature. A modern catalyst can become operational as fast as witin 30 seconds after engine start. Air injection into the exhaust can allow for oxidation of hydrocarbons (as well as alcohols) even when the air fuel mixture is rich, as after a cold start. In addition, this oxidation heats up the catalyst faster. Compared to gasoline, methanol is much more reactive when in contact with a catalyst. The use of methanol, just like ethanol, will also significantly reduce the emissions of toxins such as benzene and 1,3 butadiene.
Use in racing
Beginning in 1965, pure methanol was used in United States Auto Club competition for its series, which then included the Indianapolis 500.
A seven-car crash on the second lap of the
1964 Indianapolis 500 resulted in United States Auto Club's decision to mandate methanol.
Eddie Sachs and
Dave MacDonald died in the crash when their gasoline-fueled cars exploded. The gasoline-triggered fire created a dangerous cloud of thick black smoke, which completely blocked the view of the track for oncoming cars.
Johnny Rutherford, one of the other drivers involved, drove a methanol-fueled car which also leaked following the crash. While this car burned from the impact of the first fireball, it formed a much lesser inferno than the gasoline cars, and one that burned invisibly. That testimony, and pressure from
Indianapolis Star writer George Moore, led to the switch to alcohol fuel in 1965.
Methanol is currently used by the
Champ Car circuit and many short track organizations, especially midget and sprint cars. Pure methanol was used by the
Indy Racing League until the 2006 season.
In 2006, in partnership with the
ethanol industry, the Indy Racing League used a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% methanol as its fuel. For the 2007 season , the IRL will use pure ethanol fuel, E100.
Methanol fuel is also used extensively in
drag racing, primarily in the
Top Alcohol category.
Formula One racing continues to use gasoline as its fuel, but in pre war grand prix racing methanol was often used in the fuel.
Methanol fuel programs in the U.S. and other nations
The State of California ran an experimental program from 1980 to 1990 which allowed anyone to convert a gasoline vehicle to 85% methanol with 15% additives of choice. Over 500 vehicles were converted to high compression and dedicated use of the 85/15 methanol and ethanol, with great results. Detroit was not willing to produce any methanol or ethanol vehicles without government subsidy.
In 1982 the big three were each given $5,000,000 for design and contracts for 5,000 vehicles to be bought by the State. That was the beginning of the low compression "FLEX-FUEL" vehicles which we can still buy today.
In 2005 California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated the use of methanol (after 25 years and 200,000,000 miles of success, to join the expanding use of ethanol driven by producers of corn. Ethanol is currently (2007) priced at 3 to 4 dollars per gallon while methanol made from natural gas remains at 1 dollar per gallon.
A drive to add a significant percentage of methanol to gasoline got very close to implementation in
Brazil, following a pilot test set up by a group of scientists involving adding blending gasoline with methanol between 1989 and 1992. The larger-scale pilot experiment that was to be conducted in
São Paulo (city) was vetoed at the last minute by the city's mayor, out of concern for the health of gas station workers (who are mostly illiterate and could not be expected to follow safety precautions). As of 2006, the idea has not resurfaced.
See also
External links
- Methanol Safety Concerns, Advantages and Corrosive properties
- Commercial Scale Demonstration of the Liquid Phase Methanol Process, Dept. of Energy Production of methanol by Clean Coal power plants for $.50 - .60 per gallon.
- DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center - Methanol
- Methanol as an alternative fuel Recording of a discussion with Nobel Prize laureate George Andrew Olah broadcast on National Public Radio.
- An Energy Revolution by Robert Zubrin Mandating Flexible Fuel Vehicles to run on ethanol and methanol as well as gasoline will defund oil producers who are funding terrorists. The cost per car is $100 - $800.
Methyl alcohol, wood spirits, and Methanol
Methanol has been considered as a fuel, mainly in combination with gasoline. Lately it has received less attention than ethanol, possibly because of pressure from the ethanol lobby. Today it's generally produced using
methane (the chief constituent of natural gas) as a raw material, but it can also be produced by
pyrolysis of many organic materials or by Fischer Tropsch from
synthetic gas. Production of methanol from synthesis gas using Biomass-To-Liquid can offer methanol production from biomass at efficiencies up to 75%. This has a potential to offer methanol fuel at a low cost and with great benefits to the environment. These production methods are however not suitable for small scale production, so it's not advisable to try to produce methanol from renewable resources like wood on a small (personal use) scale. Both methanol and ethanol burn at lower temperatures than gasoline, and both are less volatile, making engine starting in cold weather difficult.
When using methanol as a fuel in spark ignition engines it can offer an increased thermal efficiency and increased power output compared with gasoline due to its high octane rating and high heat of vaporisation. It's low energy content of 19.7 MJ/kg and stoichiometric air fuel ratio of 6.42:1 do however mean that fuel consumption (on volume or mass basis) will be high. This also makes the charge rather wet and combined with the formation of acidic products during combustion wear of valves, valveseats and cylinder can be high. Certain additives can be added to the oil in order to neutralize these acids. Methanol is also corrosive on the fuel system, although this problem isn't any worse than for ethanol. In fact the opposite may be true.
Toxicity
Methanol is a toxic product; extensive exposure to it could lead to permanent health damage, including blindness. US maximum allowed exposure in air (40 h/week) are 1900 mg/m³ for ethanol, 900 mg/m³ for gasoline, and 260 mg/m³ for methanol. It is however less volatile than gasoline and this decreases evaporative emissions but increases the risk of a fuel tank fire. Both in the atmosphere and in the liver, methanol is oxidized into two potent toxins: formaldehyde (used as a preservative for dead organic matter in laboratories), and formic acid (the poison found in ant stings). Catalytic converters will however break down most of these two toxins in a manner similar to hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxide, or carbon monoxide molecules which they normally dispose of when the catalytic converter reaches operating temperature. A modern catalyst can become operational as fast as witin 30 seconds after engine start. Air injection into the exhaust can allow for oxidation of hydrocarbons (as well as alcohols) even when the air fuel mixture is rich, as after a cold start. In addition, this oxidation heats up the catalyst faster. Compared to gasoline, methanol is much more reactive when in contact with a catalyst. The use of methanol, just like ethanol, will also significantly reduce the emissions of toxins such as benzene and 1,3 butadiene.
Use in racing
Beginning in 1965, pure methanol was used in
United States Auto Club competition for its series, which then included the Indianapolis 500.
A seven-car crash on the second lap of the 1964 Indianapolis 500 resulted in United States Auto Club's decision to mandate methanol. Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald died in the crash when their
gasoline-fueled cars exploded. The gasoline-triggered fire created a dangerous cloud of thick black smoke, which completely blocked the view of the track for oncoming cars. Johnny Rutherford, one of the other drivers involved, drove a methanol-fueled car which also leaked following the crash. While this car burned from the impact of the first fireball, it formed a much lesser inferno than the gasoline cars, and one that burned invisibly. That testimony, and pressure from
Indianapolis Star writer George Moore, led to the switch to alcohol fuel in 1965.
Methanol is currently used by the Champ Car circuit and many short track organizations, especially midget and sprint cars. Pure methanol was used by the Indy Racing League until the 2006 season.
In 2006, in partnership with the
ethanol industry, the Indy Racing League used a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% methanol as its fuel. For the 2007 season , the IRL will use pure ethanol fuel, E100.
Methanol fuel is also used extensively in
drag racing, primarily in the Top Alcohol category.
Formula One racing continues to use
gasoline as its fuel, but in pre war grand prix racing methanol was often used in the fuel.
Methanol fuel programs in the U.S. and other nations
The State of California ran an experimental program from 1980 to 1990 which allowed anyone to convert a gasoline vehicle to 85% methanol with 15% additives of choice. Over 500 vehicles were converted to high compression and dedicated use of the 85/15 methanol and ethanol, with great results. Detroit was not willing to produce any methanol or ethanol vehicles without government subsidy.
In 1982 the big three were each given $5,000,000 for design and contracts for 5,000 vehicles to be bought by the State. That was the beginning of the low compression "FLEX-FUEL" vehicles which we can still buy today.
In 2005 California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated the use of methanol (after 25 years and 200,000,000 miles of success, to join the expanding use of ethanol driven by producers of corn. Ethanol is currently (2007) priced at 3 to 4 dollars per gallon while methanol made from natural gas remains at 1 dollar per gallon.
A drive to add a significant percentage of methanol to gasoline got very close to implementation in
Brazil, following a pilot test set up by a group of scientists involving adding blending gasoline with methanol between 1989 and 1992. The larger-scale pilot experiment that was to be conducted in São Paulo (city) was vetoed at the last minute by the city's mayor, out of concern for the health of gas station workers (who are mostly illiterate and could not be expected to follow safety precautions).
As of 2006, the idea has not resurfaced.
See also
External links
- Methanol Safety Concerns, Advantages and Corrosive properties
- Commercial Scale Demonstration of the Liquid Phase Methanol Process, Dept. of Energy Production of methanol by Clean Coal power plants for $.50 - .60 per gallon.
- DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center - Methanol
- Methanol as an alternative fuel Recording of a discussion with Nobel Prize laureate George Andrew Olah broadcast on National Public Radio.
- An Energy Revolution by Robert Zubrin Mandating Flexible Fuel Vehicles to run on ethanol and methanol as well as gasoline will defund oil producers who are funding terrorists. The cost per car is $100 - $800.
