Comparative Study of Heavy-Duty Engine Operation with Diesel Fuel and Ignition-Improved Methanol

Methanol can be made suitable for compression ignition engines by ignition-improving additives. The ignition improver demand can be minimized by increasing the compression ratio.

The technical suitability of this fuel can be regarded as proven, since most of the problems connected with its use have been solved. Its economic viability, however, has still to be doubted.

From an environmental point of view, ignition-improved methanol deserves great interest due to the total absence of soot in the exhaust and the considerably reduced NOx emission.