ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR AUTOMOBILES

The entire surface transport of India is based on petroleum fuel, but its availability is of growing
concern. The production of domestic crude has been declining and the transport system has
been increasingly dependent on imported crude oil to meet its needs. There is a growing concern
that the world may run out of petroleum based fuel resources. All these make it imperative that
the search for alternative fuels is taken in right earnest.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle refers to a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than traditional
gasoline or diesel; any method of powering an engine that does not involve solely
petroleum (e.g. electric car, gasoline-electric hybrid, solar powered).

Due to a combination of heavy taxes on fuel, particularly in Europe, tightening

environmental laws, particularly in California, and the possibility of further restrictions
on greenhouse gas emissions, work on alternative power systems for vehicles has become
a high priority for governments and vehicle manufacturers around the world.

DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Propane

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consists mainly of propane, propylene, butane, and butylene in
various mixtures. It is produced as a by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining.
With propane’s simple molecular composition, propane - fueled vehicles emit significantly lower
levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides than gasoline - fueled vehicles.
The level of air - toxic emissions from propane -fueled vehicles is also low. According to the
National Propane Gas Association, U.S.A., spark plugs from a propane vehicle last from 80,000
to 100,000 miles and propane engines can last two to three times longer than gasoline or diesel
engines.

Ethanol

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, ETOH) is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic,
agreeable odor. Two higher blends of ethanol, E-85 and E-95 are being explored as alternative
fuels in demonstration programs. Ethanol is also made into ether, ethyltertiary-butyl ether (ETBE),
that has properties of interest for oxygenated gasoline and reformulated fuels. The environmental
benefits of ethanol include:

10% ethanol blends reduce carbon monoxide better than any other reformulated gasoline blend.
Ethanol is a safe replacement for toxic octane enhancers in gasoline such as benzene, toluene
and xylene.
ETBE lowers gasoline volatility and is, thus, particularly effective in reducing VOC emissions from
automobiles.
Methanol

Methanol (CH3OH) is an alcohol fuel. As engine fuels, ethanol and methanol have similar
chemical and physical characteristics. Methanol is methane with one hydrogen molecule replaced
by a hydroxyl radical.

It is produced from natural gas in production plants with 60% total energy efficiency. Methanol can
be made with any renewable resource containing carbon such as seaweed, waste wood and
garbage.

This is a promising alternative, with a diversity of fuel applications with proven environmental,
economic and consumer benefits. It is widely used
today to produce the oxygenate MTBE added to cleaner burning gasoline. Cars, trucks
and buses running millions of miles on methanol have proven its use as a total replacement for
gasoline and diesel fuels in conventional engines. Methanol offers the greatest hope for early and
broad introduction of fuel cells that will make Electric Vehicles practical within the next few years.
Whether reformed to provide hydrogen for conventional fuel cells or used directly in the latest
liquid fed cells, methanol will overcome the greatest remaining obstacle to commercialization, by
offering the only economical way to transport and store the hydrogen needed for fuel cells.
Methanol fuel cells will greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions for vehicles and virtually
eliminate smog and particulate pollution.

Electric Fuel

Electricity is unique among the alternative fuels in that mechanical power is derived directly from
it, whereas the other alternative fuels release stored chemical energy through combustion to
provide mechanical power.

Batteries commonly provide electricity used to power vehicles, but fuel cells are also being
explored. Batteries are energy storage devices, but unlike batteries, fuel cells convert chemical
energy to electricity.

A large number of various types of batteries are being tested for use in EVs. Some of the
technologies being used or evaluated include lead-acid, nickel cadmium, nickel iron, nickel zinc,
nickel metal hydride, sodium nickel chloride, zinc bromine, sodium sulfur, lithium, zinc air, and
aluminum air.

The first benefit of using electric fuel is that you are not polluting the environment. Although, some
people argue that there are some emissions that can be attributed to Evs-the emissions that are
generated in the electricity production process at the power plants. The maintenance costs for
EVs is less-EVs have fewer moving parts to service and replace.

P - Series

P-Series is a new fuel that is now classified as an alternative fuel. It is the latest to be taken under
the branch of alternate fuel. The U.S. Government has only recently added

certain blends of methyltetrahydrofuran, ethanol and hydrocarbons, known as the P-series fuels,
to the definition of "alternative fuel."

P-series fuels are blends of ethanol, methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF), and pentanes plus, with
butane added for blends that would be used in severe cold-weather conditions to meet cold start
requirements.
These contain at least 60 percent non-petroleum energy content derived from MTHF
(manufactured solely from biomass feedstocks) and ethanol, are substantially not petroleum and
may yield substantial energy security and substantial environmental benefits.

Solar Fuel

Solar energy technologies use sunlight to warm and light homes, heat water, and generate
electricity. Some research has gone in to evaluating how solar energy may be used to power
vehicles; however, the long-term possibility of operating a vehicle on solar power alone is very
slim. Solar power, may however, be used to run certain auxiliary systems in the
vehicle. Solar energy is derived from the sun. In order to collect this energy and use it to
fuel a vehicle, photovoltaic cells are used. Pure solar energy is 100% renewable and a vehicle
run on this fuel emits no emissions.

The Indian scenario is however not encouraging.

The experimental vehicles supplied by BHEL and Chatelec are ling stranded for want of spare
parts.
The CNG vehicles are languishing with repeated shortages in CNG supplies. In the absence of
compressing facilities, natural gas continues to be floored. The prospects of Oman and Iranian
pipelines for importing of natural gas have receded. A brief and isolated experiment with 30%
methanol blended petrol has been forgotten.
The prospects of solar photovoltaic cells as energy source for vehicles have not even been
explored so far.

The Indian oil industry and the Government of India should join hands to make future fuels a thing
of the near future, and not relegate it to the backseat.
The components of a CNG conversion kit for peteol cars are:

Vapour bag Assembly :

This is nade of PVC and is designed to cover the cylinder valve. It is tubular in shape and has a
threaded flange at one end screwed on to the cylinder neck threads and a screwed cap at the
other end to give access to the cylinder valve.

CNG pressure regulator: It is a multi-stage pressure reducer in which the gas pressure reduced
from that prevailing in the tank to a pressure just below the atmospheric pressure. This ensures
that natural gas will not flow out from the pressure regulator when the engine is not running. The
filling connection/valve is used for filling high-pressure gas from the CNG compressor to the CNG
tank. The electronic selector/change-over switch activates the electrical circuits in the system to
automatically change the mode of operation from diesel or petrol to CNG. Venturi is a gas and air
mixing and metering device. It meters the gas flow proportionate to the engine speed.

The components of a CNG conversion kit for dual fuel operation in diesel engines are:

Special filler valve for filling CNG storage tanks; multi-stage pressure regulator to regulate
pressure from 200 bar to less than the atmospheric pressure; pneumatically operated safety
valve to close gas supply as the engine rpm reaches beyond specific limits; linear load valve
connected to accelerator paddle controls gas flow as per engine load; rack limiter allows full load
diesel flow upto certain engine rpm and reduces to pilot value beyond the specific speed; and
Venturi, the gas mixing and metering device located downstream of the engine air filter.

The components of the kit for mono fuel operation are:

High-pressure cylinders designed for storage of CNG at a pressure of 200 bar. A typical tank
capacity is 50 ltrs. The number of cylinders required depends on the vehicle; special filter valve
for filling CNG storage tanks; two pressure regulators to reduce the gas pressure from 200 bars
to just above atmospheric pressure; special air valve diaphragm carbuerettor; six cylinder
contact-less distributor ignition system with spark plugs located in the plae of injectors; and
special electronic governor to reduce gas flow at second stage regulator as the specified rpm
reached.

Hybrid Electric
A hybrid vehicle uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power. This most
commonly refers to gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which use gasoline (petrol) and
electric batteries for the energy used to power internal-combustion engines (ICEs) and
electric motors. These power plants are usually relatively small and would be considered
"underpowered" by themselves, but they can provide a normal driving experience when
used in combination during acceleration and other maneuvers that require greater power.

Flexible fuel
A flexible-fuel vehicle or dual-fuel vehicle is an automobile or truck (lorry) that can
typically alternate between two sources of fuel. A common example is a vehicle that can
accept gasoline mixed with varying levels of ethanol (gasohol). Some cars carry a natural
gas tank and one can switch from gasoline to gas.

North American vehicles from approximately 1980 onward can run on 10% ethanol/90%
gasoline (e.g., E10) with no modifications. Prior to 1980, many cars imported into the
United States contained rubber, aluminum, and other materials that were generally non-
compatible with any ethanol in their fuel delivery systems, and these cars experienced
problems when E10 was first introduced. American made cars from the late 1970s
onward can run on E10 with no modifications. E10 fuel is widely available. Going
beyond 10% ethanol generally requires special engineering.

In the United States, many flexible-fuel vehicles can accept up to 85% ethanol (E85). The
fuel mixture is automatically detected by one or more sensors, and once detected; the
ECU tunes the timing of spark plugs and fuel injectors so that the fuel will burn cleanly
in the vehicle's internal combustion engine. Originally, sensors in both the fuel-line and in
the exhaust system were used for flexible fuel vehicles. In recent years, manufacturers
have instead opted to use only sensors in the exhaust manifold, before the catalytic
converter, and to eliminate the fuel inline sensor. As E85 is more corrosive, special fuel
lines are also required. Some manufacturers also required different motor oil be used, but
even this requirement is now dropped for all but one manufacturer.
 ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR DIESEL ENGINE

Real alternative fuels for the diesel engine are limited to those having a good self ignition
quality which includes kerosene and the heavier distillates whether from oil or coal.
These fuels can be substituted directly for gas oil with no change in combustion
requirements. Maximum fuel settings must be adjusted to compensate for the varied
volumetric calorific values and provision must be made to ensure adequate fuel pump
lubrication with respect to gasoline and heavier fuel oils, injection timings and/or
compression ratio will have to be changed because of these fuels having significant lower
ignition point. Heated inlet air or additives may also be needed. These fuels also show a
preference for combustion system that is direct injection for gasoline, indirect injection
for heavy fuel oils.
It is necessary in compression ignition engines to use the dual fuel injection system or a
means of introducing the fuel with the air. Aspirated fuel air mixture introduces the
problem of knock, pre-ignition and unburned hydrocarbons due to weak mixture areas in
the engine cylinder.

DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR DIESEL

Natural Gas (CNG / LNG)

Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons-mainly methane (CH4)-and is produced either from gas
wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. The interest for natural gas as an alternative fuel
stems mainly from its clean burning qualities, its domestic resource base, and its commercial
availability to end-users.

Natural gas is the cleanest burning alternative fuel. Exhaust emissions from NGVs are much
lower than those from gasoline-powered vehicles. For instance, NGV emissions of carbon
monoxide are approximately 70 percent lower, non-methane organic gas emissions are 89
percent lower, and oxides of nitrogen emissions are 87 percent lower. In addition to these
reductions in pollutants, NGVs also emit significantly lower amounts of greenhouse gases and
toxins than do gasoline vehicles.

Dedicated NGVs produce little or no evaporative emissions during fueling and use. For gasoline
vehicles, evaporative and fueling emissions account for at least 50 percent of a vehicle's total
hydrocarbon emissions. Dedicated NGVs also can reduce carbon dioxide exhaust emissions by
almost 20 percent vehicles.
Hydrogen

Hydrogen gas (H2) is being explored for use in combustion engines and fuel-cell electric vehicles.
It is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures, which presents greater transportation and
storage hurdles than exist for the liquid fuels. Storage systems being developed include
compressed hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and chemical bonding between hydrogen and a storage
material (for example, metal hydrides).

While no transportation distribution system currently exists, for hydrogen transportation use, the
ability to create the fuel from a variety of resources and its clean-burning properties make it a
desirable alternative fuel.

Increasing pollution from cars and airplanes has created smog clouds across the country.
Hydrogen, on the other hand, emits no toxins, and is also clean and efficient.

CNG Cylinder :

These are high-pressure cylinders designed for storage of CNG at a pressure of 200 bar. A typical
tank capacity is 60 ltrs. The number of cylinders required depends on the vehicle.

Bio diesel

Bio diesel (mono alkyl esters) is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel made from natural, renewable
sources such as vegetable oils. Just like petroleum diesel, biodiesel operates in combustion-
ignition engines.

The use of bio diesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned
hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. It also decreases the solid carbon
fraction of particulate matter (since the oxygen in biodiesel enables more complete combustion to
CO2), eliminates the sulfate fraction (as there is no sulfur in the fuel), while the soluble, or
hydrocarbon, fraction stays the same or is increased. Therefore, biodiesel works well with new
technologies such as catalysts (which reduces the soluble fraction of diesel particulate but not the
solid carbon fraction), particulate traps, and exhaust gas recirculation (potentially longer engine
life due to less carbon).

LPG

Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, LP Gas, or autogas) is a mixture of

hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly
replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage
to the ozone layer.

Varieties of LPG bought and sold include mixes that are primarily propane, mixes that are
primarily butane, and the more common, mixes including both propane (60%) and butane
(40%), depending on the season—in winter more propane, in summer more butane.
Propylene and butylenes are usually also present in small concentration.
When LPG is used to fuel internal combustion engines, it is often referred to as autogas.
In some countries, it has been used since the 1940s as an alternative fuel for spark
ignition engines. More recently, it has also been used in diesel engines. Its advantage is
that it is non-toxic, non-corrosive and free of tetra-ethyl lead or any additives. It burns
more cleanly than petrol or diesel and is especially free of the particulates from the latter.

There are two downsides. Firstly it has a lower energy density than either petrol or diesel,
so the equivalent fuel consumption is worse, but since many governments impose less
tax, it is still usually more cost effective. Secondly, some designs of internal combustion
engine require the lubrication of petrol or diesel and LPG's lack thereof can damage
valves or shorten their life.

COAL GAS

Coal gas is an inflammable gaseous fuel made from coal and supplied to the user via a
piped distribution system. Town gas is a more general term referring to manufactured
gaseous fuels produced for sale to consumers and municipalities. It is also known as
manufactured gas, syngas (SNG), hygas, and producer gas in some countries.

Prior to the development of natural gas supplies and transmission systems during 1940s
and 1950s, virtually all fuel and lighting gas used in both the United States and Great
Britain was manufactured from coal.

Depending on the processes used for its creation, coal gas is a mixture of the calorific
gases: hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and volatile hydrocarbons, with small
amounts of noncalorific gases - carbon dioxide and nitrogen - as impurities. Coal gas
plants, especially those that operated in the past, are commonly referred to, by
environmental professionals and within the utility industry, as Manufactured Gas Plants
or "MGPs."

Originally a by-product of the coking process, coal gas was extensively exploited in the
19th and early 20th Centuries for lighting, cooking and heating. The development of
manufactured gas paralleled that of the industrial revolution and urbanization; and the
byproducts, coal tars and ammonia, were at some times an important chemical feedstock
for the chemical industry.