METHANOL

2.0 METHANOL

Methanol (CH3OH) is an alcohol fuel. Methanol is methane with one hydrogen molecule replaced by a hydroxyl radical (OH). The alternative fuel currently being used is M-*%. In the future, neat methanol or M-100 may also be used. Methanol is also made into ether, MTBE, which is blended with gasoline to enhance octane and to create oxygenated gasoline. Methanol contains no sulphur or complex organic species.

2.1 Production:

Methanol can be produced from a verity of feedstock, including natural gas, coal, biomass and cellulose. It is predominantly produced by steam reforming of natural gas to create a synthesis gas, which is then fed into a reactor vessel in the presence of a catalyst to produce methanol and water vapour. Infect today's economics favor its production from natural gas.

2.2 Emissions:

Methanol perhaps is not the cleanest gasoline alternatives but it has a distinct advantage in controlling ozone formation. USA is focused to methanol and methanol blends as it promises significant ozone improvements and control smog formation at a reasonable cost.

The following table (Table-2) gives emissions comparison between gasoline, M85 and M100.

Table-2: Emissions form gasoline, M85 and M100 in a FTP Cycle

Emissions,mg/km FTP cycle	Gasoline	M85	M100
THC	161.59	111.87	124.30
CO	733.37	683.65	870.11
NOx	490.99	379.12	285.89
Evaporative emission (mg/test) FTP test	1720.00	680.00	880.00
Benzene	7.79	4.38	0.32
Toluene	33.66	8.66	2.11
Buta-1-3-diene	0.19-0.50	0.44	2.05
Formaldehyde	4.78	13.87	21.76
Acetaldehyde	0.94	10.02	0.27

2.3 Advantages of Methanol:

Some of the advantages of methanol when used as a fuel are:

- Methanol has very lower ozone forming potential.
- Emissions of sulphur and sulphur compounds are virtually negligible.
- Very low evaporative emissions due to its low vapour pressure.
- Easy refueling.
- Methanol is the most practical carrier of hydrogen to run fuel cells.
- Methanol has high-octane quality.

2.4 Disadvantages of Methanol:

The disadvantages of methanol include the following:

- High formaldehyde emissions.
- Acute toxicity.
- Availability is much dependent on the availability of natural gas.
- Low energy content compared to gasoline.
- Demands special lubricants and spare parts.
- May be costly.

2.5 Operation & Performance:

- Because of low energy content, mileage will be slightly lower.
- Power, acceleration and payload are comparable to those of equivalent internal combustion engines.
- Methanol needs special lubricants.
- Compatible replacement parts are required.

Methanol is mostly used in light-duty vehicles. More than 20,000 M85 flexible-fuel vehicles are in operation in USA.

2.6 Safety Issues:

Methanol may not give rise too much safety concerns when used as automotive fuel but it is inherently toxic. Adequate training is required to operate and maintain methanol-fueled vehicles. Moreover neat methanol (M-100) also presents a special safety hazard as it burns without a visible flame and even alcohol-water wastes may be flammable.

2.7 Storage & Distribution:

Toxicity and solubility of methanol in water raises concern for safe storage and distribution. Adequate training is required to store, maintain & operate methanol-fueled vehicles though it has the refueling advantage like gasoline or diesel.

2.8 Indian Initiative on Methanol:

Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) in 1983-1986 conducted a fleet trail with M12 under the UNDP/UNIDO assisted programme on alternate fuel. M12 gasoline blend was used as the fuel in this study on 14 two wheelers of various makes. IIP also carried out some experimental studies on the two wheelers with methanol gasoline blends upto 20 %. Findings of the studies are summarized below:

- Operation beyond or over 15% methanol- gasoline blends was erratic and the engine started misfiring and hunting.
- With M15 it showed marginally better output and 3-4% improvement in fuel consumption.
- It established that upto 15% blends can be used without any engine modifications.
- Substantial reduction in carbon monoxide was recorded.
- No hot or cold driveability problems with M12 blends.
- Engine performance of M12 vehicles was found comparable to that of gasoline vehicles.
- Increase of wear with cast iron rings were observed.

In the year 1992, BIS standard was amended to facilitate the use of methanol in gasoline. Indian oil companies initiated a pilot scale project in November 1993 to market a methanol-petrol blend of 3% methanol called Petrol-M. This product was supplied from 10 selected retail outlets in the city of Baroda in Gujarat. Initially this project was taken up for a period of one year. The key findings of this project are:

- Blending, transportation and quality wise Petrol-M trail marketing was successful.
- A total quantity of 376 kl of the product was sold.
- It was comfortably used by cars, two-wheelers and three-wheelers.
- To tackle the apprehended problem of corrosive effect of methanol on engine parts, the oil industry used corrosion inhibitors.

CPCB also commissioned a study to evaluate the emission performance of methanol-gasoline blends through IIP sometimes in 1995-96. CPCB estimated that if all the petrol driven vehicles in Delhi use a methanol-gasoline blend of 3% methanol and 97% gasoline, it may be possible to have 11% reduction in hydrocarbons emissions, 7% CO reduction and 30% NOx reduction compared to pure gasoline driven vehicles.