Methanol

About the Book

While hydrogen is definitely the fuel of the future, its economic viability is many years away. Thus an interim, or mid-term fuel is required to replace petroleum. In comparing all of the potential alternative fuels, methanol is the only one that fits the bill of being truly universal, that is, it can be used in all three types of powerplants that will be in use: Spark-ignition engines, compression-ignition engines, and fuel cells. In this book, a concept is introduced called Low Cetane Compression Ignition (LCCI), and it is compared to other technologies from economic, efficiency and emissions standpoints. Burning methanol in a LCCI engine provides diesel-like efficiency, low NOx emissions and no particulate emissions. With the addition of NOx after treatment, future emissions standards are easily met, and when mated to a generator in a hybrid configuration, it approaches the efficiency of a fuel cell.

LCCI is the key to overcoming the stigma of poor fuel economy with past flexible fueled spark-ignition engines. LCCI provides the efficiency of a diesel engine without the emissions concerns. And when combined with hybrid technology, the efficiency approaches that of the methanol fuel cell vehicle, at much lower cost.

Although methanol in fuel cells is also a good choice, it will take many years for the cost of fuel cells to come down to a point where automakers are willing to abandon their conventional piston engine tooling. What is proposed in this book is a way to make methanol mainstream throughout the entire transportation network, and do so relatively quickly, by enabling its use in both fuel cells and piston engines at the same time.

About the Author

Stanley P. Miller was Manager of the Alternative Fuel Project Center for Detroit Diesel Corporation from 1988 through 1996. This assignment involved the development of various alternative-fuel engines, including engines fueled by methanol, ethanol, natural gas, and biodiesel, using various combustion processes. It was during this assignment that Mr. Miller became very knowledgeable about the above fuels and other fuels in general. He became particularly interested in the positive benefits of methanol on emissions and national security, along with its ease of handling and storage, relative ease of production and transporting, and its relatively low cost. He also gained a complete understanding of the development issues related to methanol, and how to deal with these issues.

The author holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), and a Masters degree in Applied Mechanics from the University of Michigan. He has worked for Detroit Diesel Corporation (now part of Daimler Chrysler Power systems) for twenty-nine years in various engineering and managerial assignments.