Methanol used in power tests
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Scientists in New Zealand claim to have successfully operated an unmodified directinjection diesel engine on straight methanol.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research claims to have achieved the same power, torque and thermal efficiency with the engine running on methanol as it produced running on diesel.
At the heart of the system is an exhaust-heated reactor which uses' a catalyst to transform a small proportion of the methanol fuel into dirnethyl ether (DME) gas, which causes immediate ignition when the methanol enters the combustion chamber.
The department claims the components required for the new process may be fitted to any diesel engine without modification to existing components, except for suitable attachments for the reactor, the reactor fuel supply system and the simple gas mixer. The system reduces emissions and noise levels because the ignition delay is almost eliminated.