This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Energy Economics of Alternate Fuels
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
The energy crisis of the mid-1970's released a frantic search for alternative fuels. The present paper reviews the studies undertaken by the Author's Company and outlines experience with broad specification fuels, vegetable oils and alcohols. Tests were undertaken mainly with the diesel engine and its derivatives in mind.
It is concluded that, in the medium term, the most effective engine/fuel combination is an injected stratified charge engine burning “wide-cut” fuel oils. Such oil could be obtained by a modification to present natural crude refining practices, or from shale and tar sand distillation, or by coal gasification and hydrogenation, or from oil bearing vegetation. Unfortunately, the energy scene is currently confused by the conflict between short term economic gain and long term conservation needs. As a result attention is being focussed on gasolene-like alternatives, notably methyl and ethyl alcohol.
As a consequence it is thought that carburetted stratified charge engines, burning alcohol-based or alcohol extended fuels, are likely to become dominant in the mobile prime mover field. It is to be hoped that progressive depletion of natural crudes will promote the gradual introduction of a more efficient combination based on an injected stratified charge engine. In any case, eventual shortages of natural fuels will have far reaching implications on the choice of materials for both engine and vehicle manufacture. Government legislation and taxation policies will also be affected.
Recommended Content
Authors
Topic
Citation
Bertodo, R., "Energy Economics of Alternate Fuels," SAE Technical Paper 790430, 1979, https://doi.org/10.4271/790430.Also In
References
- Tipler W. “Prospects for the Operation of Diesels on Coal and its Derivatives” I.Mech.E.Conf. “Power Plants and Future Fuels” London January 1975
- Tipler W. “Energy Economics of Automotive Power Generation” Paper 750761 SAE Off-Highway Meeting Milwaukee September 1975
- Bertodo R. “Les Moteurs Legers pour Automobile: un Cas d'Erreur sur le Probleme” AGELFI 3rd Eur.Auto.Symp. Paris November 1975
- Tipler W. “The Significance of Fuel/Engine Interactions in the Development of the Stratified Charge Engine” I.Mech.E.Conf. “Stratified Charge Engines” London November 1976
- Bertodo R. “Liquid Fossil Fuels ... an Engine Maker's Viewpoint” Aust. Inst.Pet. Melbourne May 1977
- Bertodo R. “Engine/Fuel Combinations for the Future” AGELFI 4th Eur.Auto.Symp. Brussels October 1977
- Bertodo R. Smith P. “Prime Movers for Future Lift Trucks” SAE Off-Highway vehicle meeting and exposition Paper No. 780752 Milwaukee September llth-14th 1978
- Van Gulick H. “Refineries and Engines as a Single Technical System” I.Mech.E. JL. Auto. Eng. April 1975
- Tipler W. “Towards the Next Generation of High Speed Diesel Engines” I.Mech.E. Conf. “Land Transport Engines - Economics v. Environment ”. London January 1977
- Rogers G.F.C. “Limitation and Uses of Energy Analysis” CME September 1977
- Bertodo R. Smith P. “The Multi-Application Diesel: Some Recent Developments” Inst.Eng.Aust. Int.Conf. on Mining Machinery Brisbane July 2-6th 1979
- Scott W. M. “Alternative Fuels for Automotive Diesel Engines” January 1977
- Bertodo R. “Pollution Control: the Continuing Struggle” SAE -Australasia Conf “Mobility and Energy” Melbourne May 2nd-6th 1977
- Bertodo R. Downes T.W.E. Middlemiss I.D. Shepherd M.J. “Pollution Control of Diesel Engines” Czechoslovak Scient. and Tech. Soc. 8th Int.Conf. on I.C. Engines Stary Smokovec October lst-3rd 1975
- Goodwin C. “Turbocharging the ‘Squish Lip’ Low Pollution Diesel Engine” NATO-CCMS 4th Symp. “Automotive Propulsion Systems” Washington April 1977
- Russel J. A. “Identification of Probable Automotive Fuels 1985 - 2000” U.S. Dept. Energy, Highway Vehicle Systems Contractors Co-ordination meeting, Conf. 771037 Dearborn, Mich. October 4th-6th 1977
- “Carbonisation and Hydrogenation of Coal” United Nations New York 1973
- Tierney W.T. Johnson E.M. Crawford N.R. “Energy Conservation Optimisation of the Vehicle-Fuel-Refinery System” SAE Paper No. 750673 1975
- “Opportunities for Energy Savings in Transportation” Texaco Inc. March 1975
- White P.J. “Motor Fuels from Coal” SAE-A National Convention Paper 13 Perth September 1976