76-12-A7

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Transcript Last time, I talked about "gasohol", that mixture of ten percent alcohol and ninety percent gasoline which has been catching on in Nebraska. That's one approach that shows promise. There's another one that seems further off, but worth a lot of serious talk and study. It's methanol gas, which might actually be made from coal without taking the coal out of the ground. Word about progress on methanol as a motor vehicle fuel comes from Dr. Peter Beckmann, the good humored, highly literate and staunchly pro-science University of Colorado professor who publishes Access to Energy, a fascinating monthly newsletter. Dr. Beckmann visited with me a little over a year ago and told me about the possibilities for methanol. Now he updates the situation in his current issue. He approaches this, and any other new, alternative fuel source, with a sensitive man's hope and a scientist's skepticism. So, his report on methanol doesn't engage in any tub-thumping; it just gives the facts as they now stand. He reports on tests conducted by General Motors' research laboratories in actual driving conditions, using a fleet of 14 autos from model years 1966 through 1974. All but two were converted from gasoline to a blend of gasoline and methanol. The two had fuel injection, thus pure methanol. One of the drawbacks of methanol is that it has half the heating value of gasoline so it requires a tank twice as large for the same operating range (there goes your trunk space). It has a higher octane number, though, so it can give better performance. But, it's less volatile than gasoline meaning colder starts and slower warmup. But, again on the plus side, its lower combustion temperature sharply reduces nitrous oxide pollution. It is, however, both more toxic and corrosive than gasoline. Currently, methanol is made from natural gas, but it could be made from coal, wood -- even garbage! In fact, according to Access to Energy, it could, in principle, be made from coal that never leaves the ground, via underground explosions that produce methane, from which methanol would be made. How about the GM test? "Less than a howling success" for the mixed methanol-and gasoline cars, Dr. Beckmann says. "To run on pure methanol, a car needs a number of modifications beyond a doubled fuel tank." All materials in contact with methanol must be made corrosion resistant; an additive is needed to improve starts; carburation must be changed; and the spark plugs and distributor re-set. The two fuel-injected methanol-only cars fared better, though still requiring several adjustments. Dr. Beckmann concludes, "Methanol remains, technically, a serious contender as a gasoline substitute." He adds, " ... these are merely the technical details. The crucial point about methanol is the cost, and the coal-to-methanol technique is kept artificially uncompetitive by congressional price-fixing of natural gas and by the uncertain climate for investments. Methanol remains blocked by the people who think automobile engines need not be designed, because they can be legislated." -- UNQUOTE. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 76-12-A7 Production Date 04/13/1977 Book/Page N/A Audio Youtube? No
		Added Notes Access to Energy archives: Neat or on the Rocks