Can Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) alone be used as a fuel without mixing with petrol or diesel??

Question

I'm thinking of doing a dual fuel engine as my final yr project of engineering. First I thought of using hydrogen as the secondary fuel with petrol but since its production and storage is difficult I want other alternatives.. So I thought of using ethanol.. Now can anyone tel me whether its possible to use ethanol in engines.. If yes how to do that??? If U have any better ideas relating to any topics of mechanical engineering please let me know...

Answer 1

yeah of course it can be used.

its a better option i think

  

Answer 2

do not use ethanol with diesel and visa versa.

As stated by others, ethanol is a good fuel, but on an per energy basis it costs more than regular gasoline.  So it may cost less per gallon, but you have to buy 30% more gallons.  Also, ethanol will evaporate from your tank unless you have a completely sealed pressurized system.

So, the complication comes in with how to tell your engines fuel injection system that it needs more gallons per pound of air it has measured.  This means buying an after market engine control unit.  They cost about $500 to over $2000 if you want absolute control of the engine.  Add in new fuel system parts of $500 to $2000 and bingo, $2500 and you won't save a penney in fuel costs.

The cool thing about ethanol or methanol is you can get huge horsepower from smaller engines.  But one the car is set up to run on pure alcohol, its a complete piston and head change out to get back to running gasoline, even premium.

Answer 3

Yes, of course.  A version of the Model T back in 1908 ran on ethanol.

Conversion to ethanol is not easy, see:

http://running_on_alcohol.tripod.com/id3...

Ethanol is more corrosive and so many things change, that the engine, fuel system, etc. need to be designed to use ethanol from the get go.

  

Answer 4

E85 is 85% ethanol,

other options are.

Propane, or natural gas, but the conversion is expensive, and can be found on  line.

Electric, is an option that for mechanical engineering might be an interesting project.

and of course comparing gas powered scooters to electric powered scooter, would already have both vehicles available.

Answer 5

They did in the boot legging days.Cars then could burn it,better parts.

Instead of brass seals,cars now have plastic or rubber.If you change to viton,no problems.

Answer 6

adultrated hard drink se cars nahi chalti duffer.ethly alcohol is used as

cheap quality alcohol

Answer 7

i am thinking that ethanol was used in batteries with sulphuric acid which may produced electricity but it will affect the engine so it is not possible to use

Answer 8

If we used corn to produce ethanol, we lose about 30% of the energy of the corn, energy that could be had by burning the corn as in a steam engine. But unlike old steam engines, one would have the whole engine, including the super-heater very well insulated and kept warm with a  tiny flame when out of use.

In absence of corn, many other fuels, even sawdust would suffice.