UNIT V

ALTERNATE FUELS

S.BALACHANDRAN
G.K.BHARATH SAI KUMAR
Mechanical department
RKMCET
Why Alternate fuel is required ?
On an average 95% of energy requirements all over the
world are derived from conventional energy sources
such as coal , natural gas and petroleum.
It is estimated that these reserves are not going to last
for not more than 50 years. Hence there comes the
problem on energy crisis
Alternate fuels are important because of their potential
ability to improve both environment and reduce INDIA
independence on imported petroleum
Why we choose alternate fuel
Conventional fuels are going to run out
To reduce pollution
To protest against global warming
Biodegradable and non toxic
Easy to handle and store
Rural development
Alternate fuel
Alternative fuels, known as non-conventional and advanced
fuels , are any materials or substances that can be used as
fuels, other than conventional fuels like; fossil fuels
(petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas), as well as artificial
radioisotope fuels that are made in nuclear reactors.
Some well-known alternative fuels include biodiesel,
bioalcohol (methanol, ethanol, butanol), refuse-derived fuel
, chemically stored electricity (batteries and fuel cells),
hydrogen, non-fossil methane, non-fossil natural gas,
vegetable oil, propane and other biomass sources.
Different types of alternate fuels
Alcohol fuels (ethanol and methanol)
Water gasoline mixture
Vegetable oil
Biodiesel
Hydrogen
LPG and CNG
Electricity
benzol
PROPERTIES OF ALTERNATE FUEL
1. ENERGY DENSITY
1.gasoline - higher energy density
2.alcohol half that of gasoline
3.hydrogen low energy density
4.electricity 1/400th of the energy density of
gasoline
2. VOLATILITY
volatility indicates a fuel ability to vapourize
under different temperate and pressure
1.gasoline high volatility
2.LPG not an issue
3.alcohol low volatility
3.OCTANE NUMBER
octane number is a measure of fuels tendency
to knock in a SI engine
4.CETANE NUMBER
Cetane number (or CN) is an inverse function of a
fuel's ignition delay, and the time period between the start
of injection and the first identifiable pressure increase
during combustion of the fuel. In a particular diesel engine,
higher cetane fuels will have shorter ignition delay periods
than lower Cetane fuels.higher octane number means a low
cetane number .
5.HEAT OF VAPOURIZATION
heat of vapourization affects both engine power and
efficiency, higher cooling is required during intake stroke
1. allowing for greater power
2.permits greater compression ratio
6.FLAME POINT
the speed at which a flame front propagates
through a fuel/air mixture
hydrogen has high flame point
methanol has high flame point than gasoline
7.AUTO IGNITION TEMPERATURE
The autoignition temperature or kindling point
of a substance is the lowest temperature at which it
spontaneously ignites in normal atmosphere without an
external source of ignition, such as a flame or spark. This
temperature is required to supply the activation energy
needed for combustion.hydrogen has high auto ignition
temperature(1065 F) , petro(495), diesel (600)
8.FLAME POINT
The flash point is the lowest temperature at which
vapours of a volatile material will ignite, when given an
ignition source. The flash point may sometimes be
confused with the autoignition temperature, which is the
temperature at which the vapor ignites spontaneously
without an ignition source.
alcohol fuels have higher flash point than gasoline
9.FLAMMABILITY
Flammability is the ability of a substance to burn or
ignite, causing fire or combustion. Methanol has high
flammability
BIODIESEL
BIODIESEL PRODUCTION
 ENGINE MODIFICATION FOR
BIODIESEL
1.RUBBER SEALS
Replacement of fuel lines with non-rubber seals is
required because rubber react with the biodiesel (5% of
blend will not arise this problem )

2. COLD STARTING
3. OIL CHANGING
4. ENGINE TIMING ( 2 or 3 degree , for 100 % blend)
5.ENGINE MODIFICATION
Before installing an engine of greater capacity than
original supplied ,then the following factors has to
considered
1. weight of the vehicle
2. power and torque output
3. strength of the vehicle
4. effect of steering and suspension
5. the effect of vehicle handling
 VARIOUS FORMS OF
NATURAL GAS
1.METHANE
2.ETHANOL
3.METHANOL
4.PROPANE
PRODUCTION OF METHANOL
CURRENT STATE OF LPG ENGINE IN
AUTOMOBILE
LPG VEHICLES
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CNG & LPG