Methanol Blends Research Articles

Improved engine performance and significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions by fumigating hydrogen in a diesel engine

A thermodynamic model was developed for combustion, performance, and emissions with a reference diesel fuel, a 10 vol% methanol blend with 90 vol% diesel, a 10 vol% ethanol with 90 vol% diesel and a 4% hydrogen fumigating in the inlet port along with diesel direct injection. The diesel and two alcohol blends (10% methanol–90% diesel, and 10% ethanol–90% diesel) was directly injected into the cylinder, while hydrogen was fumigated at the inlet port. The model was developed by commercial GT-Suite software. Besides engine performance, exergy and energy rates were estimated for the four fuels. Among the four fuels/fuel blends, hydrogen fuel (4% fumigated hydrogen) shows the best performance in terms of exergy, energy rates, specific fuel consumption, power, and greenhouse gas emissions. Regarding greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide was only considered in this investigation as it contributes to a significant detrimental effect on environmental pollution.

MILD Combustion of Methanol, Ethanol and 1-Butanol binary blends with Ammonia

In the present energy transition scenario, ammonia is considered a valuable candidate as energy-dense carrier with neutral or even negative carbon balance. However, the potential high NOx emissions and the reduced oxidation process stability, at least when conventional combustion plants are used, can burden its wide utilization on large scales. In this context, MILD Combustion, due to its inherent characteristics, may greatly improve combustion stability and keep the NOx emissions at an acceptable level. On the other hand, the addition of low or no-carbon fuels from biomasses and wastes, more reactive than ammonia, may be beneficial in further improving its combustion performance and the global sustainability of the energy supply chain.In this respect, the present work analyzes the sustainability and combustion performance of binary mixtures of ammonia and low-molecular-weight alcohols in a cyclonic burner, where MILD conditions are attained by means of a strong internal recirculation, and compares them with those obtained with NH3/methane blends. Results highlighted that NH3/alcohols mixtures ensure a stable oxidation process in a wide range of operational parameters without compromising the system performance. Moreover, they showed a significant reduction of NOx emissions for NH3/alcohols mixtures, especially for fuel-lean conditions, when compared to NH3/methane blends.Experimental data were also corroborated by chemical kinetic modeling results to provide some insights on the peculiar NOx formation routes when blends of different nature are used, highlighting the interaction between carbon and nitrogen fuels kinetics.

Renewable Energy System: Alternative Fuel Usage in the Energy Market of the US Public Transportation System

The U.S. transportation sector is the second largest energy consumer in 2020 with about a 35% usage rate. However, the sector accounted for the largest proportion (29%) of the total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Compared with the use of personal automobiles, public transportation is believed to be cost-effective and provides low emissions, which tends to reduce the need to travel long distances and lower the carbon footprints of transit operations. This study examined the impact of alternative fuels (various blends of biodiesel, hydrogen, methanol, and ethanol) versus conventional fuels on greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. public transit system. The research was anchored by three regression models to analyze the joint and individual impact of both conventional fuel and alternative fuel. Secondary data were extracted from the American Public Transit Association 2021 Fact Book, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1999-2019 (EPA 2021). The descriptive statistics, correlation, and stationarity tests were established on the variables, and the regression models were estimated using ordinary least squares. The findings revealed that while conventional fuel expands the flow of carbon emissions, alternative fuel is a drag on the total emissions from public transportation. However, it was concluded that the utilization of alternative fuels in the U.S. transportation industry is still very low, thus there is a need to put all machinery in motion to embrace this fuel type to reverse climate change issues, especially in the public transit system.

Framework for Energy-Averaged Emission Mitigation Technique Adopting Gasoline-Methanol Blend Replacement and Piston Design Exchange

Measurement to mitigate automotive emission varies from energy content modification of fuel to waste energy recovery through energy system upgradation. The proposed energy-averaged emission mitigation technique involves interfacing piston design exchange and gasoline–methanol blend replacement with traditional gasoline for low carbon high energy content creation. Here, we interlinked the CO, CO2, NOx, O2, and HC to different design exchanges of coated pistons through the available brake power and speed of the engine. We assessed the relative effectiveness of various designs and coating thicknesses for different gasoline–methanol blends (0%,5%,10%, and 15%). The analysis shows the replacement of 5%, 10%, and 15% by volume of gasoline with methanol reduces the fuel carbon by 4.167%, 8.34%, and 12.5%, respectively. The fuel characteristics of blends are comparable to gasoline, hence there is no energy infrastructure modification required to develop the same amount of power. The CO and HC reduced significantly, while CO2 and NOx emissions are comparable. Increasing the coating thickness enhances the surface temperature retention and reduces heat transfer. The Type_C design of the steel piston and type_A design of the AlSi piston show temperature retention values of 582 °C and 598 °C, respectively. Type_A and type_B pistons are better compared to type_C and the type_D piston design for emission mitigation due to decarbonization of fuel through gasoline-methanol blend replacement. Surface response methodology predicts Delastic, σvon Mises, and Tsurface with percentage errors of 0.0042,0.35, and 0.9, respectively.

Innovative conceptional approach to quantify the potential benefits of gasoline-methanol blends and their conceptualization on fuzzy modeling

Restricted fossil-based petroleum fuel resources and a raising fuel utilization direction have produced significant economic and ecological issues. The current article exhibits a robust model of using the innovative conceptional approach to quantify the potential benefits from gasoline-methanol blends utilizing a Fuzzy model based on real experimental data. Methanol has several merits to be an appealing gasoline fuel surrogate. The compositions of gasoline utilized in the current study were gasoline Fisher-Tropsh samples (GFT), including GFT-100, GFT-95, GFT-90, GFT-85, GFT-80, GFT-75, GFT-70, GFT-65, and GFT-60 with a methanol mass fraction of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% by weight. Additionally, antiknock combustion characteristics of gasoline-methanol blends, involving research octane number (RON) and motor octane number (MON) at different percentages were investigated. The results showed that the established Fuzzy logic model is well matching the real experimental results to a great grade, presenting the trustworthiness of the Fuzzy logic model. Finally, the results reported that a low percentage of methanol blends is preferable to maximize the efficiency and exhaust emissions of motor gasoline engines without altering the material structure.

Enhancement of the combustion and stability aspects of diesel-methanol-hydrous methanol blends utilizing n-octanol, diethyl ether, and nanoparticle additives

The current research endeavored to boost the applicability of methanol in CI engines utilizing n-octanol, diethyl ether (DEE), and different nanoparticle additives (at a concentration of 50 ppm), mainly aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, multiwalled carbon nanotube, graphene oxide, and graphene nanoplatelets as cosolvents and ignition improvers. The work was split into binary phases. First, the stabilities of pure methanol (M100) and hydrous methanol (MH10), with diesel as a reference fuel, were examined by applying various temperatures: 10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C. The findings showed that the M100/diesel and MH10/diesel combinations were unstable. To overcome this issue, n-octanol was utilized as a cosolvent. Following by the engine burning and emission characteristics were evaluated by manipulating three proportions of M100/diesel mixtures with n-octanol and DEE. The three mixtures included 5, 10, and 15% of M100 with 25% n-octanol and 5% DEE, which are denoted as DM5, DM10, and DM15, correspondingly. Then, 50 ppm of each nanoparticle was inserted separately into DM5 and DM10 blends to augment the ignition characteristics. The tested mixtures were assessed via thermogravimetric analysis, and their physicochemical properties were assessed corresponding to the ASTM. The results indicated that the maximum Pcyl., HRR, and dp/dθ diminished for the M100/diesel/n-octanol/DEE combinations compared with the diesel. Similarly, they were lowered by inserting nanoparticles. Moreover, the BTE lowered, whereas the BSFC enlarged for the tested mixtures compared with the diesel. The opposite trend was remarked with manipulating nanoparticles. Concerning engine emissions, the NOx and smoke opacity levels also diminished, whereas the CO and UHC enlarged for the DM5, DM10, and DM15 blends compared to the diesel. Inserting nanoparticles into DM5 and DM10 mixtures reduced NOx, CO, UHC, and smoke opacity levels by up to 35%, 20%, 60, and 40%, respectively, compared with DM5 and DM10. It can be concluded that applying n-octanol, Diethyl ether, and nanoparticles as cosolvents and improvers with diesel-methanol blends demonstrated a considerable enhancement in phase stability issue, combustion, and emission characteristics of the diesel engine.

Modeling of a port fuel injection spark-ignition engine with different compression ratios using methanol blends with the response surface methodology

In this study, the response surface methodology was applied to verify the optimum compression ratio, methanol percentage, and engine load in order to obtain the best levels of engine response that will occur when using methanol (0, 10, and 20% by vol.) in a spark-ignition engine under different compression ratio (6.0:1, 8.0:1, and 10.0:1) and engine load (8, 10, and 12 kg) conditions. A response surface methodology aided by analysis of variance was created using the three-factor and three-level central composite full design with the results of the experiment. With the created model, optimum methanol percentage, compression ratio, and engine load levels corresponding to the finest brake thermal efficiency, brake-specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide emission levels were determined. According to the optimization results, the optimum methanol percentage, compression ratio, and engine load were found to be 10.5%, 6.0:1, and 12 kg, respectively. Hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, brake thermal efficiency , and brake-specific fuel consumption corresponding to optimum operating conditions were determined as 63.568 ppm, 840.643 ppm, 0.365%, 14.059%, 28.199%, and 0.286 kg/kWh, respectively. To test the reliability of the response surface methodology results, experiments with optimal methanol, compression ratio, and engine load were carried out and compared with the response surface methodology findings. As a result, it can be said that the response surface methodology is a successful application for the optimization of a spark-ignition engine using methanol as an alternative fuel with different engine parameters.

Effect of low percentage methanol blends in gasoline RON 90 on fuel volatility characteristics and spark ignition engine performance

Methanol is one of the promising alternative fuel for gasoline that can be made from renewable sources. Methanol has high octane number, which can increase octane number of gasoline. Methanol is also an oxygenate and contain less carbon content than gasoline, so combustion emission can be reduced. Blending methanol with gasoline influences the volatility characteristics of the fuel blend where it could influence engine performance. Fuel used in this study were gasoline RON 90 blended with methanol in percentage of up to 20%. In this study, distillation and Reid vapor pressure were measured, and then engine performance tests were performed using those fuel blends. The obtained result showed that the vapor pressure was increasing with addition of methanol up to 15% with maximum vapor pressure of 74.75 kPa and started to decrease at 20% methanol blends. The distillation curve showed that increasing methanol addition to the fuel blend flattened the distillation curve below the methanol boiling point. Engine performance test results revealed that addition of methanol in fuel blend resulted in decrease of torque, changes in specific fuel consumption, and reduced CO and HC emission.

Effects of Ethanol and Methanol on the Combustion Characteristics of Gasoline with the Revised Variation Disturbance Method.

This paper proposes a revised variation disturbance method to provide valuable information and reference for fuel design or optimization of internal combustion engines to realize the comprehensive and quantitative evaluation of the effects of blending agents on the combustion performance of primary fuels. In this method, methanol and ethanol are blended into gasoline to form six kinds of alcohol–gasoline (E10, E20, E30, M10, M20, and M30). Then, the ignition delay, adiabatic flame temperature, component concentration, fuel-burning rate, extinction strain rate, and CO emission of gasoline and alcohol–gasoline are studied by system simulation in a wide range of operating conditions. Based on the new variation disturbance method, the effects of methanol and ethanol on the combustion performance of gasoline are next analyzed globally and characterized quantitatively. The comprehensive results of ethanol and methanol on the gasoline’s combustion are visually presented. The method proposed in this paper is preliminarily validated based on the analysis of the microscopic mechanism of combustion. The results show that the blending of ethanol and methanol has positive effects on gasoline combustion, and ethanol can rapidly ignite the gasoline in a wide range of operating conditions and is superior to methanol in terms of fuel combustion, stability, and pollutant discharge. Based on the treatment of simulated values of six combustion characteristics selected in this paper and the calculations of the variation disturbance method, the total disturbance values of ethanol and methanol to gasoline combustion are obtained as 0.8493 and 0.2605, respectively. That is, ethanol has a more significant effect on improving the combustion performance of gasoline than methanol. In addition, based on the analysis results of the combustion, it is found that the blending of ethanol enlarges the reaction of notable components in gasoline. This finding also proves the effectiveness and validity of the scientific method utilized in this paper.

Consequences of varying compression ratio and ignition timing on engine fueled with E-MEBANOL

Alcohols are oxygenated renewable fuels responsible for low carbon emission and high H/C ratio. In the present study, a blend of methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol in equal proportion by volume (E-MEBANOL) is tested as a sustainable fuel for SI engines under variable compression ratio (CR) and ignition timing (SOI). The performance of the engine is found to improve by increasing CR as well as advancing the SOI, as the brake power (BP), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and volumetric efficiency are found to increase by increasing CR to 15 from 11 at an advanced SOI of 24°CA before top dead center (BTDC) from 16°CA BTDC by 17.54%, 17.47%, and 10.53% respectively. Similarly, combustion is also enhanced with increasing CR and advancing SOI as the peak cylinder pressure (Pmax), and maximum net heat release rate (NHRmax) are found to increase by 60% and 27.64%, respectively, while positions of these peaks are advanced by 17°CA and 18°CA respectively by increasing CR from 11 to 15 and SOI advanced to 24°CA BTDC. The flame development period (CA10) increases with advancing SOI and decreases with increasing CR, while the flame development period (CA10-90) and total combustion duration decrease with both increasing CR and advancing SOI. The CO & HC emissions improve with increasing CR and advancing SOI, while NOx increases drastically, but EGT decreases continuously.

Methanol/Ethanol/Butanol-Gasoline Blends Use in Transportation Engine—Part 1: Combustion, Emissions, and Performance Study

Abstract Primary alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, and butanol have exhibited excellent potential as possible alternative fuels for spark ignition (SI) engines because they are renewable, cleaner, and safer to store and transport. However, it is important to investigate the technical feasibility of adapting these primary alcohols in existing SI engines. In this research, a multi-point port fuel injection (MPFI) system equipped SI engine was used for assessing and comparing the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of various alcohol-gasoline blends (gasohols) vis-à-vis baseline gasoline. The experiments were performed at different engine loads at rated engine speed. Experimental results exhibited relatively superior combustion characteristics of the engine fueled with gasohol than the baseline gasoline, especially at medium engine loads. Among different test fuels, the methanol-gasoline blend (GM10) exhibited relatively more stable combustion characteristics than the ethanol-gasoline blend (GE10) and butanol-gasoline blend (GB10). In this study, relatively superior engine performance of the gasohol-fueled engine was observed at all engine loads and speeds. GB10 exhibited the highest brake thermal efficiency (BTE), followed by GM10 amongst all test fuels. The effect of improved combustion was also reflected in the emission characteristics, which exhibited that GB10 emitted relatively lower carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HCs) than other test fuels. GB10 emitted relatively higher nitrogen oxides (NOx) than GM10 and GE10. Unregulated emission results exhibited that the engine fueled with gasohols emitted relatively lower sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and various other saturated and unsaturated HCs than the baseline gasoline. The GM10-fueled engine was relatively more effective in reducing unregulated emissions among all test fuels. This study concluded that methanol and butanol blending with gasoline resulted in superior engine performance and reduced harmful emissions in MPFI transport engines. This offered an excellent option to displace fossil fuels partially and reduce emissions simultaneously.

Influence of the Port Height to Stroke Ratio on the Performance of an OP2S Engine Fueled with Methanol/Diesel

Zero carbon emission is a mainstream trend in the development of internal combustion engines (ICEs) in the future. ICEs need to constantly surpass the existing working mechanism, especially in order to explore the possibility of new combustion methods. Dual-fuel combustion is a good way to reduce carbon emissions and achieve clean combustion. However, the traditional internal combustion engine is limited by its own structure, restricting its performance improvement. The opposed-piston, two-stroke (OP2S) diesel engine is a potential power system with a high degree of structural adjustability. Therefore, this work attempted to apply methanol/diesel dual-fuel to OP2S engines in order to explore efficient and clean combustion modes in the future. In this work, a one-dimensional simulation model of an OP2S diesel engine was established and verified. The effect of the port height to stroke ratio on the performance of the OP2S diesel engine was mainly studied for different methanol blending ratios. The results show that the methanol blending ratio does not affect the port height to stroke ratio where the optimal values of the MIP and scavenging efficiency appear. The optimal methanol blending ratio for the power performance of OP2S diesel engines is 5~15%. There is a trade-off relationship between the MIP/scavenging efficiency and trapping efficiency. For the optimization of an OP2S methanol–diesel engine, priority should be given to ensuring an optimal MIP and scavenging efficiency, and then to the appropriate consideration of the trapping efficiency.

Bridging Pharmaceutical Analysis with Computational Chemistry to Ascertain the Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Profiling of Febuxostat and its Diacid Impurity

Drug degradation may change the pharmacological action and results in altered therapeutic and toxicological profile of drug. Identification of degradation product is good opportunity in the drug discovery, as non-toxic impurities can be considered for the new pharmacological potentials. Additionally, development of computer based in-silico model and methods further assist in prediction of pharmacokinetic, dynamic as well as biological activities which make drug discovery process more unfailing. In present work, Febuxotat (FEB) was subjected to forced degradation experiments and the formed degradation products were separated and resolved using optimized HPLC method. Further the study was extended to enrich its alkali degradation product and was ascertained using 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The ADME/Toxicological properties of alkali degradation product were determined by using Admet SAR 2.0. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines Q2 (R1). In forced degradation experiments, substantial degradation of FEB was observed under acid, alkali, wet heat, dry heat and oxidative conditions, however, FEB was found stable to photolytic conditions. The drug and its formed degradation products separated and resolved from each other on Waters SunFire C8 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column using blend of methanol: 20 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) (80: 20 % v/v). From the 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry the enriched alkali degradation product was confirmed as 2-[3-carboxy-4-(2-methylpropoxy) phenyl]-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxylic acid (diacid FEB). Febuxostat and diacid Febuxostat was found non-toxic for carcinogenicity (binary), eye corrosion, eye irritation and Ames mutagenesis during ADME/Tox studies. However, both were found hepatotoxic. A simple, accurate, precise, and robust stability indicating HPLC method was developed and validated for the estimation of FEB in bulk and tablet dosage form. Based on ADME/Tox both were found to hepatotoxic. Henceforth, based on our evidences, one should use FEB with precaution in patient suffering from liver disease.

Development and Validation of HPLC Method for quantification of Zonisamide in Spiked Human Plasma

In present work a simple, economic, accurate and precise HPLC method with UV detection was developed for the quantification of zonisamide (ZON) in spiked human plasma using trimethoprim (TRI) as an internal standard. Both ZON and TRI were well separated and resolved from each other on C18 column using mobile phase blend of methanol: acetonitrile: 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) in an isocratic mode at flow rate of 1 mL/min with proportion of 25:5:70 %, v/v/v. The detector wavelength was set at 240 nm. Maximum recovery of ZON and TRI from plasma were obtained with dichloromethane (DCM) as extracting solvent. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the range of 3-60 mg/mL with regression coefficient (r2) = 0.997. The LLOQ of the method was 3 mg/mL. Although, with acceptable r2, heteroscedasticity of the calibration data was observed which further was reduced with use of weighted linear regression with weighting factor 1/x. Finally, the method was validated with respect to sensitivity, accuracy, precision, recovery, stability and for carry-over as per US-FDA guidance for Bioanalytical Method Validation, May 2018.

Analysing the Pollutants Dispersion in Erbil City-Kurdistan with Support of Statistical Analysis.

Analysing the Pollutants Dispersion in Erbil City-Kurdistan with Support of Statistical Analysis.

One-dimensional numerical simulations of single-cylinder spark ignition engine fuelled H2O based emulsion fuel, methanol blends, and gasoline conventional

In this work, we have used two types of renewable fuels for testing in one-dimensional simulation software and comparing its performance and emission characteristics with 100% Gasoline fuel. For this work, we have used ethanol 20%-H2O 2%, and gasoline 90% based micro-emulsion fuel and blends of 20% Methanol in 80% Gasoline fuel as an Alternative fuel. This work is done computationally on one-dimensional licensed AVL Boost Simulation Software. The micro-emulsion fuel was prepared in the lab by adding ethanol as co-surfactant and H2O as an additive in the blended fuel. The other alternative fuel Methanol blended 20% with Gasoline 80% is also used to test the performance and emission characteristics of multi-cylinder Spark Ignition Engine. This is a novel based work done to improve the performance and Emissions of 3- Cylinder Spark Ignition Engine. The performance parameters like power, Torque, BSFC, BMEP, showed better results & emissions like CO, HC, & NOx showed significant decrease as compared to conventional 100% Gasoline fuel. Micro-emulsion fuel were better in emissions particularly NOx, which showed 25% decreases than Methanol fuel. Also showed slightly better power & Torque output by 10% than Methanol blend. Both the renewable fuel were compared with gasoline 100%.

Investigation the combined effects of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and alcohol-diesel blends in improvement of NOX-PM Trade-off in compression ignition (CI) diesel engine

The increasing demand to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions leads to find clean fuel and renewable fuel such as ethanol and methanol that good replacement of oil-derived transportation fuels. The combined effects of alcohols blends (ethanol-diesel and methanol-diesel) and with and without EGR on NOX-PM Trade-off in diesel engine were investigated under variable engine loads and speeds. The EGR is considered efficient technology to reduce the NOX emissions in compression ignition (CI) diesel engines. The current study highlighted on the trade-off between nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter (PM). The oxygenating content in the ethanol blend (E10) and methanol blend (M10) decrease the PM concentrations in the exhaust pipe compared to the diesel fuel for different engine operating conditions with keep NOX emissions in the moderate level. It was found that the NOX/PM concentrations significantly decreased from the combustion of E10 and M10 under variable engine loads and speeds.

PM and NOX emissions amelioration from the combustion of diesel/ethanol-methanol blends applying exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)

The fuel injection timings, equivalence ratio (Ø) and exhaust gas recirculation are considered the most important parameters can effect on combustion process and lower exhaust emissions concentrations. The influence of 15% EGR technology and operating parameters (Ø and injection timing) on NOX emissions and particulate matter (PM) using oxygenated fuel (ethanol and methanol) blends were investigated in this experimental study. The results showed that the NOX emissions concentrations with increasing the equivalence ratio (Ø) and applied EGR for all fuels studied. Besides, the E10 and M10 decreased the PM concentrations compared to the diesel fuel under various equivalence ratios (Ø). The applied EGR increased the PM concentrations, but when combination of oxygenated fuels and EGR leading to the decrease in the PM formation. The NOX emissions concentrations decreased from the combined effect of EGR and oxygenated fuels by 16.8%, 22.91% and 29.5% from the combustion of diesel, M10 and E10, respectively, under various injection timings. It is indicated that NOX emissions decreased with retarded injection timings, while the PM decreased under advanced injection timings.

Characterization of Distributed Combustion of Reformed Methanol Blends in a Model Gas Turbine Combustor

Characterization of Distributed Combustion of Reformed Methanol Blends in a Model Gas Turbine Combustor

Characterization of Distributed Combustion of Reformed Methanol Blends in a Model Gas Turbine Combustor

Characterization of distributed combustion of reformed methanolblends in a model gas turbine combustor