Alternative Fuels

ALTERNATE FUELS

Author's:- Rajender & Sudheer

Mechanical 3/4

From: sreenidhi inst of science and technology

Mobile no:9247761419

Email id:-grapes4u@gmail.com,idealsomething@yahoo.co.in

ALTERNATE FUELS

Author's:-Rajender & Sudheer

Mechanical 3/4

From: sreenidhi inst of science and technology

Mobile no:9247761419

Email id:-grapes4u@gmail.com,idealsomething@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT:

The fuels which are not made from petrol and diesel are called alternate fuels. The vehicle fuels can run on
these alternate fuels which are many. Some of the alternate fuels which the present paper is going to
explain are Alcohols(Ethanol and methanol),hydrogen(special type of gas),biodiesel(it is the diesel fuel
prepared from animal fat and plant oil),electricity(stored in batteries),liquefied natural gas (natural gas that
is cold),C NG(compressed natural gas).

In the modern world we are becoming reliant on burning fossil fuels (fuels made from remains of plants
and animals) in our daily activities. The very first I.C engine which was discovered, the majority of the cars
are using either petrol or diesel. But we are now realizing some problems with the continued use of these
fossil fuels. As these fossil fuels are non renewable they will finish in the future, so as the quantity reduces
the price of petrol and diesel will rise so we have to generate an alternate solution that is “ALTERNATE
FUELS” instead of continuing the oil based fuels. Secondly the exhaust gases (spent out gases from
engines) causes problems like global warming and other problems recently caused are Tsunami in Sumatra
and flooding in U.K which are all caused by global warming.

However it is looked at it is clear that we will need to find alternate sources of fuels in near future whether
it is because of global warming, because of limited amount of fuel or even if it just to make the air in large
cities more pleasant to breathe.

INTRODUCTION

Fuels apart from petrol and diesel are called Alternate fuels.

The vehicle fuels can run on these alternate fuels.

BIO-DIESEL

• Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil and animal fat can be used as diesel fuel, or mixed with regular
diesel fuel.

• Ordinary diesel engines can run on biodiesel. Practically any type of vegetable oil or animal fat can be
used to make biodiesel.

• Biodiesel blends can be used in light or heavy duty diesel engine.

• The most common blend of biodiesel is B20 (20% biodiesel / 80% diesel) which is used through out the
country.

• As it is domestically produced it helps to reduce nation's dependence on imported oils.

• When using biodiesel, lubricity is improved over conventional diesel fuel.

• Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from domestically grown crops like soybeans and mustard seed.
Biodiesel can also be produced from recycled cooking grease.

• Scientific research confirms that biodiesel exhaust has less effect on human health than petroleum diesel
fuel. because,

• It reduces emissions such as C O,sulphates, unburned hydrocarbons,aromatic hydrocarbons and other

particulate matter.

• It also reduces the solid carbon fraction and sulphate fraction.

• It increases soluble hydrocarbons (which increases its mileage).

DISADVANTAGES

• We can't use B100 (100% biodiesel) because it is not suitable in low temp conditions.

• It needs special arrangement for transportation and storage.

• Emission of nitrogen oxides increases with increase in biodiesel blend.

• Durability of engines decreases with the use B100.

NATURAL GAS

• Natural gas is a gas which occurs like air.

• It is available in several forms like compressed natural gas(C NG),liquified natural gas(LNG).

• 95% of it has methane and 5% includes propane,butane,ethane and other gases.

• Methane is hydrocarbon its molecules are made up of carbon atoms and hydrogen.

• Its simple, one carbon, molecular structure (C H4) makes possible its nearly complete combustion.

Cars Honda civic CGX and Ford Crown Victoria operated on CNG.

• Because of its clean burning nature automakers are developing to run vehicles on it.

• C ars,buses,trucks use natural gas that is compressed and stored in high pressure cylinders.

• Some vehicles can run on natural gas only and others can run on natural gas or gasoline called Bi-fuel
vehicles.

• A bi-fuel vehicle has two separate fuel systems, with the capability to easily switch from one to the
other.

• It is found to be one of the most environmentally friendly fuels and its popularity is increasing.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EV)

• Gasoline vehicles have advantages and disadvantages.

• Advantages are they could go much farther than an electric vehicles.

• Disadvantages are they are noisy and put out lots of smoke.

• So we can overcome this by a new invention of Electric starter which starts the car by the key. These
vehicles are electric vehicles.

• They don't burn gasoline in an engine instead they use electricity stored on the car in batteries.

• EVs have an electric motor that turns the wheels and a battery to run that motor.

THE 1ST EV

• One of the first modern EVs was the General Motors Impact.

• GM changed its name and started selling the GM "EV1" in 1997.

• The mileage given by this car is 180 miles per hour.

Charging is done to EV

• To charge an Ev's batteries, the car is usually plugged in.

• Impact test vehicle is plugged into a special charging unit attached to a house.

• Most EV's can go about 100 miles before they need to plug them in and recharge their batteries.

FUEL CELL VEHICLES

• Another type of Z ero- E mission V ehicle is the fuel cell powered vehicle.

• When the fuel cells are fueled with pure hydrogen, they are considered to be zero emission vehicles.

• Fuel cells have been used on spacecraft for many years to power electric equipment.

• Fuel cell vehicles turn hydrogen fuel and oxygen into electricity. The electricity then powers an electric
motor, just like electricity from batteries powers the motor of an electric vehicle.

• FUEL C ELL SYSTEM

HOW IT WORKS?

• Of all the fuel cells available Polymer Electrolyte membrane(PEM) is the best fuel cell used in
automobiles.

• It consists of electrolyte membrane present between cathode and anode.

• The anode & cathode are composed of platinum particles (acts as catalyst) uniformly supported on
carbon particles.

• At anode loss of e- 's takes place & at cathode gain of e- 's takes place.

• When H2 is passed through anode the foll. Reaction takes place :-H2 à 2H++2e-

• The membrane allows protons to pass through it .Therefore the –ly charged e- 's is passed through the
external circuit.

• Hence electricity produced is converted into mechanical energy to run automobiles.

• When oxygen and hydrogen are combined they give off energy and water (H2O).

• In fuel cells this is done without any burning (combustion).

ADVANTAGES

• The advantage of the fuel cell technology over the combustion fuels is that it will make cars much
quieter and create a smoother ride.

• A further advantage is that electric motors can produce a constant torque at all speeds, effectively
eliminating the need for a gear box and increasing efficiency.

• It is pollutant free.

DISADVANTAGES

• FC V'S are more expensive ,temp-dependent (cold weather conditions obstructs the fcv's.)

• H2 like gasoline or any other fuel must be handled with due caution.

• Fcv's is still in its pre-prototype stages and currently used vehicles have low cost & high performance.

FUEL CELL

FUEL CELL

• M ethanol fuel cell

• Pure hydrogen fuel cell

Bus run by fuel cell in London

1. C ylinders hold hydrogen sourced from natural gas

2. Fuel cell supply unit - the cells have a gross power of 250kW

3. Fuel cell stacks

4. Fuel cell cooling units

5. Air conditioning unit

6. Water vapour from exhausts are the buses' only emissions

7. Electric motor, can give a top speed of 80kph

About Alcohols (Ethanol and methanol)

• ETHANOL (GRAIN ALC OHOL)

• Both ethanol and methanol are now used as transportation fuels and will likely to play an important role
in the future.

• Ethanol is made from corn (grain), biomass (organic materials), agricultural crops, plant material, rice
straw etc.

• The alcohol found in the beverages is ethanol, which is used for motor fuel is denatured i.e. poisoned it
can't be used for drinking purpose.

• We can convert state's agricultural wastes, like rice straw that is now burned in fields, into ethanol.

• And research is going to use this ethanol in the future as a motor fuel.

Methanol (wood alcohol)

• Methanol can be made from various biomass and coal. Today it is made from natural gas as it is
cheaper.

• At present we are not using alcohol to power vehicles as it is more expensive than oil based fuels.

• Its structure is similar to hydrocarbon, and hence carbon will react with oxygen in air to make carbon-
dioxide or carbon-monoxide which is harmful gases.

• Alcohol does not necessarily need to be combusted to generate power; it may be used in fuel cells, or
used to produce hydrogen for use in other fuel cells or combustion engines.

WE CAN OVERCOME GLOBAL WARMING & GREENHOUSE EFFECT.

• Global warming is increase in temp of earth's atmosphere and also oceans.

• Global warming is caused by pollutants from factories, C O2 from rotting trees, burning fossil fuels leads
to increase in methane content etc.

• These gases does not allow the sun's radiations to emit from earth surface.

• This leads to increase in earth's temperature.

• The problems we face are floods (due to melting of polar ice caps), droughts, storms, typhoons, lowering
of agriculture yields.

CONCLUSION

• By using these alternate fuels we can overcome problems like pollution, global warming etc.

• We can also eliminate the problem of becoming reliant on burning fossil fuels.

• Unlike fossil fuels they are renewable they can be produced as per our needs.

• So the only alternate solution to overcome problems from oil based fuels are, “alternate fuels”.

• But it is still far from reality because of economy constraints, more research has to be done.

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