A PAPER PRESENTATION ON

ALTERNATIVE FUELS & BIO FUELS

Beyond Knowledge

PRESENTED BY
s.valladurai (9715184744)
valladurais@gmail.com

KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

KAKAPALAYA

Contents
Abstract

Introduction

Types of Alternative Fuels

Hydrogen

Maglev

NH3 in Diesel Engines

Bio-fuels

History

Examples of Biofuels

Methanol

Ethanol

Butanol

Mixed Alcohols

Biogas

Bio-diesel

Methods of production

Advantages of using bio-fuels

Risks involved in using Biofuels

Conclusion

References

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an overview of alternative fuels that are being

developed around the
World to meet the worlds requirements. Scientists are trying to find new
fuels which can provide a solution to the depleting sources.
One of greatest alternatives discovered are the bio-fuels like butanol,
methanol, ethanol,bio-gas , biodiesel ,etc
.

Tests are being performed that convert natural grown plants into an eco

friendly form of diesel but the cost differential makes this a difficult area to pursue
but as fossil fuels start to run out it is an option that can be pursued.
Here, we discuss the types of fuels that are being used by people all
over and try to find a solution for the depleting fossil fuels, i.e. the
conventional fuel crisis.

The risks involved in their use are discussed and the advantages are
listed out. Biofuels can be used both for centralized production of electricity and
district heat, and for local heating..

Introduction

Types of Alternative Fuels

Fossil fuels supply most of the energy

No combustion fuels

consumed today. But the continuous use of

these fossil fuels lead to their depletion. It is
possible that the world is heading towards a
global energy crisis due to a decline in the
availability of cheap oil and recommendations
to a decreasing dependency on fossil fuel.

Hydrogen

Electric vehicle

Solar cells

MAGLEV

Nuclear fuels.

Biofuels

This has led to increasing interest in alternate

power/fuel research such as fuel cell

Butanol

Methanol

Ethanol

Straight vegetable oils

technology, hydrogen fuel, bio-methanol,

biodiesel, solar energy, geothermal energy.

Biodiesel

release CO2 on combustion and will cause

Green House Effect. Hydrogen is produced

Bio-gas

from

Alternative fuels are designed to be cheap,

non-polluting, 'infinite' sources of energy. No

electrolysis

of

water,

thermal

decomposition of water, thermo-chemical

method, Photobialysis.

such fuels currently exist globally, or they

Maglev

would by now be rapidly replacing current

Magnetic levitation (maglev) is a relatively

fossil fuels.

new transportation technology in which noncontacting vehicles travel safely at speed of

Hydrogen

250 to 300 miles-per-hour or higher while

suspended, guided, and propelled above a

Alcohols have been moderately successful as

guide way by magnetic fields. The guide way

fuels

is the physical structure along which maglev

in spark ignition

engines

and

compression ignition engines. Alcohols

vehicles are levitated. Various guide way

configurations, e.g., t-shaped, u-shaped, y-

introduction into the engine cylinder. With

shaped, and box-beam, made of steel,

NH3 as fuel, the following results are

concrete, or aluminum, have been proposed.

obtained:
The engine develops 10-15% less power
when operated using NH3 as fuel when

NH3 in Diesel Engine

compared with diesel fuel.

An

investigation

showed

that

the

compression ratio of 35:1 is necessary to

accomplish ignition of NH3. This is not
possible, therefore, with normal compression
ratio of 18:1, a supplementary spark plug and
associated distributor system is used. The

The specific fuel consumption for NH3 is

2.5 times greater than that for diesel fuel.
Performance of the engine is extremely
sensitive to spark advance.
Pollutants of smoke, CO, HC drastically
decreased.

second method of ignition is to use little

amount of ignition. Another method to use
NH3 as fuel is to use dissociator which cracks
a portion of it into H2 and N2 prior to its

Bio-fuels

Biofuel is any fuel that is derived from

Nevertheless, before World War II, biofuels

biomass recently living organisms or their

were seen as providing an alternative to

metabolic byproducts, such as manure from

imported oil in countries such as Germany,

cows. It is a renewable energy source, unlike

Britain. After the War, interest in biofuels

other natural resources such as petroleum,

increased. The oil shocks of 1973 and 1979

coal, and nuclear fuels. One definition of

lead to an interest in biofuels. However,

biofuel is any fuel with an 80% minimum

interest decreased with the counter-shock of

content by volume of materials derived from

1986 that made oil prices cheaper again. But,

living organisms harvested within the ten

since 2000 with rising oil prices, concerns

years preceding its manufacture.

over the potential oil peak, Global Warming,

and instability in the Middle East are pushing

History

renewed interest in biofuels.

Biofuel was used since the early days of the

Examples of Biofuels

car industry. Nikolaus August Otto conceived

his invention to run on ethanol. While Rudolf

Biologically

Diesel, conceived it to run on peanut oil.

commonly ethanol and methanol, and less

However, when crude oil began being

commonly

cheaply extracted from deeper in the soil cars

produced by the action of microbes and

began using fuels from oil.

enzymes through fermentation.

produced

alcohols,

propanol and butanol

Methanol,

which

is

most
are

currently

produced from natural gas, can also

be produced from biomass
although this is not economically
viable at present. The methanol
economy is an interesting alternative
to the hydrogen economy.

Ethanol is the most common biofuel, and over the years many
engines have been designed to run
on it. Many of these could not run on

regular gasoline. It is open to debate

CO2- 30-45%,

if ethanol is a direct replacement in

H2 and N2- 5-10%,

these engines though - they cannot

H2S and O2- Traces

run on anything else.

refers to a

diesel-

Butanol is often claimed as a direct

equivalent, processed fuel derived

replacement for gasoline. Butanol is

from biological sources. Though

formed by A.B.E. fermentation

derived from biological sources, it is

(Acetone, Butanol, and Ethanol).

a processed fuel that can be readily

Butanol can be burned "straight" in

used in diesel-engine vehicles, which

existing gasoline engines, produces

distinguishes bio-diesel from the

more energy and is less corrosive

straight vegetable oils (SVO) or

and less water soluble than ethanol,

waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as

and can be distributed via existing

fuels in some modified diesel

infrastructures

vehicles.

Mixed Alcohols (e.g., mixture of

ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol,

Methods of production

hexanol, and heptanol, such as

EcaleneTM),

obtained

either

by

biomass-to-liquid technology or by
bioconversion of biomass to mixed

From straight vegetable oil (SVO).

From waste vegetable oil (WVO)

From transesterification of animal fats

and vegetable oil.

alcohol fuels.

Bio-diesel

Biogas, an alternative way of

complex organic materials

obtaining this gaseous fuel is through

anaerobic

fermentation

of

wet

livestock waste. The biogas is

From thermal de-polymerization of

Advantages of using bio-fuels

generally produced by dung from

Produce far less carbon dioxide than oil.

different beasts. The sludge, which

Reduce other forms of air pollution

Are high-quality fuels.

Are immediately usable within current

comes out retains all N2 phosphorous

and potassium and is an excellent
fertilizer. Composition of biogas by
volume:

infrastructure.

Support local agriculture development.

 Biomass Technical Brief, Simon Ekless,

Risks involved in using biofuels

Intermediate Technology Development

Environmental impacts of monocultures.

Group,

Increased

http://www.itdg.org/docs/technical_infor

rainforest

clearance

in

developing countries.

mation_service/biomass.pdf.

Negative impacts on food prices

Harsh agricultural labor conditions.

Increased use of genetically engineered

crops.

Conclusions
Currently, most of biofuels are burned to
release

their

stored

chemical

energy.

Research into more efficient methods of

converting biofuels and other fuels into
electricity utilizing fuel cells is an area of
very active work. Bioenergy covers about
15% of the world's energy consumption.
Most bioenergy is consumed in developing
countries and is used for direct heating, as
opposed to electricity production. However,
Sweden and Finland supply 17% and 19%
respectively, of their energy needs with
bioenergy, quite high for industrialized
countries. Biomass can be used both for
centralized production of electricity and
district heat, and for local heating

References