Methanol as a fuel for internal combustion engines

Autor: Sebastian Verhelst, Jeroen Vancoillie, James M. A. Turner, Louis Sileghem
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
AMBIENT-TEMPERATURE
Technology and Engineering
MULTI-HOLE SPRAYS
LAMINAR BURNING VELOCITIES
020209 energy
General Chemical Engineering
Combustion
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
02 engineering and technology
BLENDS
7. Clean energy
IGNITION DFSI COMBUSTION
12. Responsible consumption
Liquid fuel
QUASI-DIMENSIONAL MODEL
Fuel blends
Waste heat
ALCOHOL-GASOLINE
0202 electrical engineering
electronic engineering
information engineering
SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS
Gasoline
Process engineering
Methanol fuel
EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS
business.industry
Methanol
ETHANOL-GASOLINE
COMPRESSION-IGNITION
Fossil fuel
Renewable
Internal combustion engine
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Fuel Technology
Emissions
13. Climate action
Compression ratio
Chemical Engineering(all)
0210 nano-technology
business
Zdroj: Verhelst, S, Turner, J, Sileghem, L & Vancoillie, J 2019, ' Methanol as a fuel for internal combustion engines ', Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, vol. 70, pp. 43-88 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2018.10.001
PROGRESS IN ENERGY AND COMBUSTION SCIENCE
ISSN: 0360-1285
1873-216X
DOI: 10.1016/j.pecs.2018.10.001
Popis: Transportation of people and goods largely relies on the use of fossil hydrocarbons, contributing to global warming and problems with local air quality. Thereare a number of alternatives to fossil fuels that can avoid a net carbon emission and can also decrease pollutant emissions. However, many have significant difficultyin competing with fossil fuels due to either limited availability, limited energy density, high cost, or a combination of these. Methanol (CH3OH) is one of these alternatives, which was demonstrated inlarge fleet trials during the 1980s and 1990s, and is currently again being introduced in various places and applications. It can be produced from fossil fuels,but also from biomass and from renewable energy sources in carbon capture and utilization schemes. It can be used in pure form or as a blend component, ininternal combustion engines (ICEs) or in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). These features added to the fact it is a liquid fuel, making it an efficient way of storing and distributing energy, make it stand out as one of the most attractive scalable alternatives. This review focuses on the use of methanol as a pure fuel or blend componentfor ICEs. First, we introduce methanol historically, briefly introduce the various methods for its production, and summarize health and safety of using methanolas a fuel. Then, we focus on its use as a fuel for ICEs. The current data on the physical and chemical properties relevant for ICEs are reviewed, highlighting the differences with fuels such as ethanol and gasoline. These are then related to the research reported on the behaviour of methanol and methanol blendsin spark ignition and compression ignition engines. Many of the properties of methanol that are significantly different from those of for example gasoline (suchas its high heat of vaporization) lead to advantages as well as challenges. Both are extensively discussed.Methanol’s performance, in terms of power output, peak and part load efficiency, and emissions formation is summarized, for so-called flex-fuel engines as well as for dedicated engines. We also briefly touch upon engine hardware changes and material compatibility. Methanol fuel reforming using engine waste heat is discussed, as a potential route towards further increases in efficiency anddecreases in emissions. Next to the experimental work, research efforts into modelling the behaviour of methanol as a fuel are also reviewed, including mixtureformation, normal and abnormal combustion. Methanol’s properties such as high latent heat, fast burning velocity, high knock-resistance and no carbonto-carbonbonds are shown to leverage engine technology developments such as increased compression ratios, downsizing and dilution; enabling much increasedengine efficiencies. Finally, we point out the current gaps in knowledge to indicate which areas future research should be directed at.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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