Butanol to replace gasoline, 0.85$/gallon ! - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Danny · #1 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008

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Butanol is largely compatible with and in some ways better than, gasoline. It's air/fuel mixture (Stoichometric A/F Ratio) is 11.2 (Standard Gasoline is 14.7, ethanol is 9.) which allows butanol to, just about, function in a standard gasoline engine. Its energy content is about 105,000 Btu per US gallon (Standard Gasoline has about 114,000 Btu per US gallon). In effect butanol has about 92% of the energy of gasoline. In actual driving conditions, as butanol has a strong power and torque content, drivers will use a lighter foot on the accelerator and hold a higher gear longer, fuel efficiency will approximately match that of gasoline. It can be mixed with gasoline in any ratio in unmodified engines. Additionally, as butanol has a very low vapour pressure point (RVP 0.3) and a high Flash Point (FP 37 degrees Celcius) it is a very safe fuel to use in high temperatures. Butanol can be produced at an estimated cost of 85 cents per gallon, and is a direct replacement for gasoline, which ethanol cannot be. Butanol also has a high cetane number (CN25, diesel averages CN45, ethanol CN9) which allows butanol to be blended with petrodiesel and with vegetable oils (where it also reduces the gel temperature point and the viscosity) to produce biodiesel, with some positive environmental effects. Consequently, butanol is a very versatile fuel and fuel extender in both gasoline and diesel engines. It can do things that ethanol will never be able to do. Its manufacture from biomass will enhance the progress towards a biofuel World.

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Advantages

Higher energy content than ethanol.
Not as corrosive as ethanol.
Uses an air/fuel ratio which is close to that of gasoline. Ethanol does not.
Can be shipped through existing fuel pipelines where ethanol must be transported via rail, barge or truck.
Can replace gasoline any percentage up to 100%. Ethanol can only be used up to 85%.
Gives better mileage than ethanol.
Safer to handle than ethanol.
Will also assist in the conversion of vegetable oils into biodiesel.

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Demonstration Run

No Gas, no engine modifications, no pollution. David Ramey drove an unmodified ’92 Buick in a 10,000 mile coast to coast Demonstration Run using Butanol, a fuel alcohol, instead of gasoline. He proved that there is an alcohol made from corn that replaces gasoline right now. The ’92 Buick Park Avenue got 24 miles per gallon with no modifications. EPA Test results in 10 states showed that Butanol reduced Hydrocarbons emissions by 95%, Carbon Monoxide to 0.0%, and Oxides of Nitrogen by 37%.

Test Run Link

The test comes from '05.
So exactly, where to get buthanol?

Discuss.

Prince of Space · #2 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008

Ethanol from corn is extremely useless. I have honestly never heard of buthanol. I would read up on Hydrogen fuel cells. I believe that truly is the answer. Not these half steps that still rely on gasoline.

pramjockey · #3 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008

Methanol: CH3 - OH

Ethanol: CH3 - CH2 - OH

Butanol: CH3 - CH2 - CH2 - OH (n-Butanol)

Still mostly extracted from fossil fuels. What a suprise. There are some microorganisms that can ferment to make it, but it doesn't look like mass production is ready yet.

pramjockey · #4 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008

It occurred to last night that I made an error. The compound listed above as n-Butanol is actually n-Propanol. n-Butanol would be:

CH3 - CH2 - CH2 - CH2 - OH

Apologies.

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