A Methanol Based Economy

1. A Methanol Based Economy John Kim CHE35911/25/08

2. Search for Alternative Fuels • Peak Oil is approaching or already passed. • Oil market is becoming more and more volatile. • Need for immediate change without an infrastructure overhaul. • Slow down greenhouse gas emission.

3. Methanol Based Economy • Initially proposed by Dr. Greg Olah, Winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. • Methanol is a short term and long term solution. • Use methanol for energy storage, fuel, fuel cells, feedstock for synthetic hydrocarbons.

4. Production of Methanol • Syn-Gas method is use for almost all production of Methanol • CO + 2H2 ↔ CH3OH • CO2 + 3H2 ↔ CH3OH + H2O • CO2 + H2 ↔ CO + H2O • Natural gas incompletely burned (preferred fuel over coal). • Methanol can be produced directly from CO2 and H2.

5. Methanol Based Economy

6. Production of Methanol

7. Methanol as a Fuel • Half the energy density of gasoline. • Octane rating of 100  higher compression ratios  higher efficiency. • Higher flame speed results in more complete fuel combustion. • Burns at lower temperatures  use air-cooling instead of liquid-cooling  lighter vehicles.

8. Methanol in Fuel Cells • Hydrogen fuel cells  use onboard methanol reformers to create hydrogen. • Methanol is hydrogen rich. • 98.8g of H2 in liter of Methanol. • 70.8g of H2 in liter of liquid Hydrogen. • Onboard reformers have 80% efficiency. • Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC’s)

9. Methanol Storage & Distribution • Does not require a complete overhaul in infrastructure. • Retail station conversion costs $20,000. • $1 billion could allow 10% of gas stations in the US to dispense methanol. • Costs are relatively inexpensive when compared to Hydrogen economy.

10. Price of Methanol • Most of methanol produced comes from natural gas. • Average wholesale price has been about $175 per ton. • Methanol could be produced for less than 30 cents a gallon. • Crude oil costs $1.20 to $1.80 per gallon.

11. Price of Methanol

12. Methanol and the Environment • Less CO, NOx, SOx, and VOC’s. • Onboard Methanol Reformer emissions are less than SULEV standard. • DMFC emissions are virtually zero. • Readily degraded through photooxidation and biodegradation. • Degrades in almost all environments. • No evidence of bioaccumlation.

13. Methanol as Feedstock • Methanol is used largely as feedstock for many chemicals. • Formaldehyde, acetic acid, polymers, paints, adhesives, construction materials. • More chemicals could be produced from methanol. • Methanol could become more readily available (Methanol economy).

14. Conclusions • Short and Long term solution. • Resource potential is unlimited (water as source for H2 and atmosphere as source for CO2). • Gradually move away from fossil fuels. • Gradual change in infrastructure.