The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines

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dc.contributor.advisorDutkiewicz, Ryszard Karolen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisoren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorRobinson, Ian Malcolmen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-11-10T14:11:24Z
dc.date.available2016-11-10T14:11:24Z
dc.date.issued1983en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: pages 128-134.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis examines the potential of dissociated methanol to increase the thermal efficiency or reduce the exhaust emissions of an internal combustion engine. It is assumed that liquid methanol will be dissociated onboard a vehicle using engine waste heat to produce a gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a molar ratio of 2:1. Tests were conducted on a single cylinder engine using liquid, vaporised and dissociated methanol fuels. The dissociated methanol was derived from bottled hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Indicated thermal efficiency together with methane, methanol and formaldehyde exhaust emissions were measured. The effect of the carbon monoxide in the dissociated methanol on efficiency was investigated by operating the engine on both hydrogen and carbon monoxide separately. The results for thermal efficiency showed that the presence of carbon monoxide resulted in a lower efficiency than for pure hydrogen. However, if the waste heat recovered in the dissociation reaction is not included in the calorific value of the fuel, then dissociated methanol offers a significant improvement in thermal efficiency compared to liquid methanol. Vaporised methanol offers efficiencies comparable to dissociated methanol for mixtures leaner than stoichiometric, again benefitting from the recovered heat. The results for exhaust emissions showed that methanol and formaldehyde emissions were effectively eliminated and methane emissions significantly reduced with dissociated methanol fueling. Vaporised methanol fueling reduced emissions of these species to approximately ⅓ of the value with liquid methanol fueling. NOx emissions may be expected to increase for both vaporised and dissociated methanol. Preliminary design considerations indicated that there is probably insufficient high temperature energy in the exhaust gas to dissociate all the engine's fuel requirement. As a result, it was concluded that while vaporised methanol could not match the increase in efficiency or the reduction in exhaust emissions of dissociated methanol, its greater practicability for onboard implementation probably makes it a better candidate for future development.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationRobinson, I. M. (1983). <i>The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22486en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationRobinson, Ian Malcolm. <i>"The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre, 1983. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22486en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationRobinson, I. 1983. The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Robinson, Ian Malcolm AB - This thesis examines the potential of dissociated methanol to increase the thermal efficiency or reduce the exhaust emissions of an internal combustion engine. It is assumed that liquid methanol will be dissociated onboard a vehicle using engine waste heat to produce a gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a molar ratio of 2:1. Tests were conducted on a single cylinder engine using liquid, vaporised and dissociated methanol fuels. The dissociated methanol was derived from bottled hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Indicated thermal efficiency together with methane, methanol and formaldehyde exhaust emissions were measured. The effect of the carbon monoxide in the dissociated methanol on efficiency was investigated by operating the engine on both hydrogen and carbon monoxide separately. The results for thermal efficiency showed that the presence of carbon monoxide resulted in a lower efficiency than for pure hydrogen. However, if the waste heat recovered in the dissociation reaction is not included in the calorific value of the fuel, then dissociated methanol offers a significant improvement in thermal efficiency compared to liquid methanol. Vaporised methanol offers efficiencies comparable to dissociated methanol for mixtures leaner than stoichiometric, again benefitting from the recovered heat. The results for exhaust emissions showed that methanol and formaldehyde emissions were effectively eliminated and methane emissions significantly reduced with dissociated methanol fueling. Vaporised methanol fueling reduced emissions of these species to approximately ⅓ of the value with liquid methanol fueling. NOx emissions may be expected to increase for both vaporised and dissociated methanol. Preliminary design considerations indicated that there is probably insufficient high temperature energy in the exhaust gas to dissociate all the engine's fuel requirement. As a result, it was concluded that while vaporised methanol could not match the increase in efficiency or the reduction in exhaust emissions of dissociated methanol, its greater practicability for onboard implementation probably makes it a better candidate for future development. DA - 1983 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1983 T1 - The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines TI - The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22486 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22486
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationRobinson IM. The potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Energy Research Centre, 1983 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22486en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentEnergy Research Centreen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherMechanical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.subject.otherEnergy Researchen_ZA
dc.titleThe potential of dissociated methanol as a fuel for spark ignition enginesen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSc (Eng)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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