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Alternative Fuels: a crash course

Alternative Fuels: a crash course. Cal Poly Future Fuels Club. Created by David J Reese (April 2013). First: How a car works. Fuel is stored on board, and pumped to engine Injected into cylinder, compressed, exploded, pushes piston which turns drive shaft, transferring energy to wheels

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Alternative Fuels: a crash course

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  1. Alternative Fuels: a crash course Cal Poly Future Fuels Club Created by David J Reese (April 2013)

  2. First: How a car works • Fuel is stored on board, and pumped to engine • Injected into cylinder, compressed, exploded, pushes piston which turns drive shaft, transferring energy to wheels • Exhaust from cylinder forced out, goes through catalytic converter and out to air • Diesels rely only on high compression--leads to wide fuel adaptability

  3. Our Dependence on the Car • 86% world energy consumption=fossil fuels • 28% US energy consumption is for transportation, 96.5% of which is from petro • Transportation, shipping • Staple of American (and others') culture

  4. Why a new fuel is needed • Renewability • The electric car just isn't ready for the world yet • 202g CO2/mile from gas

  5. Alternative Fuels: Overview • This presentation (the big ones): • Methanol, Ethanol • Diesel Alternatives • Hydrogen • Not in this presentation: • Natural gas, Propane • Petro gas, diesel • Sewer gas, wood firing, steam, many others • More detailed presentations later Terms: g CO2/mile energy density, cold-starting

  6. Methanol • Produced from natural gas, coal, biomass, and sequestered CO2 • Very cheap (40-90 cents/gallon currently) • 185g CO2/mile • Medium energy density--range • Cold-starting problems, corrosion • Infrastructure already established • Higher octane=higher compression ratio

  7. Ethanol • Most well known alt-fuel • Already driving E10 • Produced from corn currently, could be from biowaste (cellulosic production) • Requires lots of energy input to produce (usually from fossil fuels) • Heavily subsidized • 191g CO2/mile • Medium energy density • Problems: system compatibility, engine lubrication, cold starting, corn production, using a food source for fuel

  8. Diesel Alternatives • Veggie Oil (or any heavy oil) • Diesel engine very adaptable • Would only account for 8% diesel use, but potential for harming engine • Biodiesel • Produced from biomass and algae • Zero sulfur emissions, 48% reduction in emitted CO2 • 90% energy density by volume of petro diesel • Cold-starting problems • Dimethyl Ether • Basically the diesel form of methanol • Range problems, must be kept under pressure • Cleanest burning, CR increases

  9. Hydrogen • Renewable? • 95% hydrogen gas produced using fossil fuels • Fuel cells are incredibly expensive, infrastructure not in place • Low energy density, must be kept pressurized • On-board storage is big problem, embrittles the steel of the engine

  10. What's Next? • Range improvements on car side • CR, cold-starting, etc. • Infrastructure adapting • Public education--acceptance • Comes from showing how they work • This is where our fun comes in

  11. Now You Know (at least a little)

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