Re: Methanol -- back to the future



Uncle Ben wrote:

I must have been asleep in the early 1990's. There was a large-scale
effort in that period on the part of California and Detroit to
introduce methanol/gasoline flex-fuel cars because of the "high price"
of gasoline at that time.

In California there were some 60 gas stations that installed methanol
pumps; the state had fleets of cars that flex-fueled methanol and
gasoline; Detroit introduced at least four lines of these flex-fueled
cars to the public.

Then the price of gasoline went back down, and all of that sank
beneath the waves. The state fleets were sold off to a public that by
and large did not even know or care that their cars would run on
methanol.

You can read all about this in the following document:

http://www.eri.ucr.edu/ISAFXVCD/ISAFXVAF/MTFLBLF.pdf

Today, methanol is dismissed as too dangerous to use. It is quite
toxic to humans, causing symptoms like blindness and further, multiple
sclerosis, and death. It burns with an almost invisible flame, which
is quite dangerous. Consider the liability problem!

Butanol is FAR better. It's effectively usable as a direct gasoline
substitute.

Graham

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Methanol -- back to the future
    ... of gasoline at that time. ... In California there were some 60 gas stations that installed methanol ... Detroit introduced at least four lines of these flex-fueled ...
    (sci.energy)
  • Re: OT: 2006 US Elections
    ... >>> Maybe we should get the government to put major resources into finding ... >> so-called alternative fuels are simply not practical and never will be. ... > I'd be curious to read what that study says about methanol. ... > half the energy density of gasoline, ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Re: OT: 2006 US Elections
    ... > As a fuel additive or as one of a myriad of alternative fuel ... > strategies, methanol might be a player, but as a gasoline replacement ... > take to grow enough trees to make the quantity of methanol required to ... 89, and 91 octane gas, diesel, and sometimes kerosene. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Re: OT: 2006 US Elections
    ... NOTHING has as much energy per unit volume as ... >>> alternative fuels. ... >> I'd be curious to read what that study says about methanol. ... >> half the energy density of gasoline, ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Methanol -- back to the future
    ... of gasoline at that time. ... In California there were some 60 gas stations that installed methanol ... Detroit introduced at least four lines of these flex-fueled ...
    (sci.energy)
Quantcast