Alternative Fuels of the World
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Eight Fuels for Internalcombustion Transport Engines Different from Those Derived from Crude Petroleum Are in Use Throughout the World, but Only Two in This Country. Plans of Other Nations to Reduce Their Dependence upon Imported Fuels • By Azote
IN this country, under war conditions, we have but two fuel alternatives for the internal-combustion-engined, vehicle —producer gas and town gas. Yet, on investigation, we find that at the outbreak of war over 30 countries were producing eight alternative fnels different from those derived • from crude petroleum, amounting annually to over 100 million barrels of 32 gallons per barrel.
These are the fuels and against each is shown its approximate percentage of the total:—
Per cent: 1. Natural gasoline ... ... 60.0 2. Petrol from coal ... ... 15.0 3, Petrol from shale oil ... 0.5 4. Benzole ... 9.0 5. Alcohol ... 7.0 6. Liquefied gases ... ' 6.5
7. Methane ... 0.1
8. Producer gas 0.2 Of this 100 million gallons of all
kinds of alternative fuel, the U.S.A. produced over 50 per cent, in addition to its ordinary production of fuels from petroleum crude.
, Next in order was Germany, the reason for which is obvious; its share amounted to 20 per cent. Then, at only 6 per cent., tame Great Britain, notwithstanding our total lack of indigenous crude oil, and our enormous coal-deposit reserves. Following us down the scale, with none over 3 per cent., were, in descending order, Japan, France, Canada, Estonia, Russia, Peru, Mexico, Iran, Venezuela, and nine other countries with under 1 per cent. each.
Petrol from Coal It is significant that in the production of petrol from coal Germany's figure was nearly four times that of this country and Japan's was the next after Great Britain with half our figure. There was only one other country producing this type of fuel at that time, namely, France, and its output ,was one half that of Japan. America was a non-Producer.
In the case of benzole. Germany produced nearly twice as much as America, the country with the nearest figure, whilst Great Britain's output was a little less than that of the United States. France had but oneseventh the production of Germany.
Benzole is the commercial form of benzene, the chemically pure compound; it-is a constituent of town gas and coke-oven gas. From one ton of coal carbonized in coke ovens, three gallons of benzole are obtained; from gas works the figure is two gallons per ton. A large proportion of this benzole used to go to waste until recovery plants were installed to prevent such loss. It is used in making explosives.
As a motor fuel benzole is of high octane value and is commonly mixed with petrol to reduce the knock tendency of the latter. The total production in this coungy would amount to about.5 per cent. of the consumption of petrol. A valuable property of benzole is that it acts as a blending agent for alcohol and petrol; it permits much higher percentages of alcohol to be added to petrol without the danger of separating out which would otherwise Occur.
In alcohol production Japan was ahead of even Germany, its output being almost twice as much; France produced more than Germany, but our figure was only one-fifth the amount. Among other countries engaged on alcohol production May be named Italy, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary
and Chili. Alcohol is now claiming. the serious attention of India; several States• are installing plant for its production from sugar.
Australia's Alcohol Plans ^ In Australia it is planned to effect big increases in production. Formerly in the region of 3-4 million gallons, the output, according to reports in the Australian Press, is to he raised to between 50 and 60 million gallons, and the alcohol is to be blended in a 1 to 5 ratio with imported petrol, which would be obligatory. The scheme is to be carried out jointly by the alcohol interests and the Government. Sugar, wheat and several species of palms among other materials are proposed as the raw materials. In Germany potatoes have for many years been grown for the production of alcohol.
Another kind of alcohol—methanol-formerly prepared by the distillation of wood as wood naphtha,, is now produced synthetically by a catalytic reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen, produced by the carbonization of coal. It is a toxic compound and is used to mix with ordinary or ethyl alcohol in order to' make it disagreeable to drink. This is metlay; lated spirit.
Alcohol has a great affinity for water and for that reason it is difficult to make pure anhydrous or absolute alcohol. Without a special drying operation commercial alcohol has a concentration of not more than 95 per cent. It is this fact that prevents its mixing with petrol (without the danger f separating out) in anything but comparatively small percentages, unless a blending agent such as benzole is used.
Natural gasoline or " casinghead gas," as its name suggests, is made from natural gas, which occurs in two general states, wet and dry. Analyses of the gas in these two forms are as follow:— over 1 gallon per 1,000 cubic ft.; below
that content it is called dry gas. Its higher fractions, as shown, are used to blend with straight-run or cracked spirit, to which they impart a high octane value. The lighter fractions are used as town gas and form over 50 per cent. of that gas in the U.S.A. It is piped hundreds of miles to consumers.
Natural gas forms over 60 per cent. of all the alternative fuels, and 80 per cent, of it is of American origin. Canada has the next largest output, but its percentage is only five. It is practically non-existent in this country.
Butane in Petrol The propane fraction must be eliminated when blending with petrol. as its vapour pressure is high enough to cause vapour locks. Butane is incorporated in small quantities.— which differ in winter and summer-to provide volatility to ensure that the petrol provides easy starting.
Liquefied gases (sixth on the original list) are produced in America, Germany, France and Italy, also, to a very limited extent, in Great Britain, but not in sufficient quantities to be used as motor fuel, although they . are suitable and are so employed in the other four countries. Propane, butane and smaller quantitiel of ethylene comprise this group, ana they are utilized both separately and as mixtures. • Whilst gaseous at ordinary temperatures, they liquefy themselves by their own vapour pressure on being closed i their containers, An advantage they possee; over liquid fuels is that they are consumed as gases with consequent improved combustion efficiency. . Furthermore, they can be used with a higher compression ratio, because of their high octane number, which in turn gives higher power output.
A complete system of distribution of these liquefied gases has been in operation for some years in both Germany and the United States, where they figure as fuels for road transport and indnstrial heating. It is reported that Russia has effected substantial develop noents in this field, but little definite information has leeked out.
Methane forms a small proportion of the alternative fuel:, of -the world. In the U.S.A. it is employed almost exclusively as town gas. In Italy engines for road transport running on methane have been in production for some time; likewise in Russia. In this country it occurs in town gas and coke-oven gas, but not alone, nor is it separated from the other constituent gases.
It escapes in large quantities from coal mines as firedamp, but no attempt is made to collect it for use. It is a product of certain systems of sewage purification, but is consumed at the works to generate power or to provide heat for the processes. There is virtually none available for transport.
Petrol from coal seems to roe probably the eventual fuel. It is significant that in America processes for obtaining it in this manner, although at present non-existent, have undergone thorough research by the Government Department concerned with such matters. Having in mind the long view of the exhaustion of liquid-fuel deposits, of which warnings have been given in recent years, it apparently intends to he ready to institute this system before such exhaustion could eventuate.
One way of obtaining petrol from coal is by low-temperature carbonization, and the resulting tars-are cracked to obtain motor fuels, lubricating oils, etc. Another process is by' the hydrogenation of coal to bring its hydrogen content up to the level of that of oil. The process is generally understood to be uneconomical, but its efficiency is not disputed. Germany produced nearly four times as much as this Country, japan having one half ef our production, and France half that of Japan.
The question of economy or otherwise of the process is chiefly a matter of bulk production.
Petrol produced from coal is generally of higher octane value than straight-run petrol from crude. The processes are undergoing _continual improvement and the control of the products is much closer than in the case of distillation; which just separates the different fractions from each other.
After the War 100 Octane
These modern processes are 'chemical reactions, breaking down the higher carbon compounds and reconstructing by synthesis the lower Ones as desired. Actually they are very complicated, but rapid advances are being made and it seems more than likely that 100 octane petrol will be available after the war just as freely as the prewar 63 octane was distributed.
Shale is looked upon as a possible successor to the present crude, although it is said to be more expensive to extract petrol from it; again that may depend upon the volume of production. Yields of petrol from shale in different countries are, respectively, as follow, in gallons per ton: Australia 100, Estonia 50, Scotland and France 25, Manchuria 14. Australia has been producing petrol from shale in commercial quantities, which are to be successively increased with the intention of rendering the country self-contained in the Matter of liquid fuels.
South Africa, also a shale-petrolproducing country, is following suit.
Producer gas, in spite of ..its considerably lower power output, as compared with petrol, is becoming increasingly used. Sweden, Germany,. Italy, Japan, India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are feverishly developing this fuel, driven to do so in order tie-petrol may be reserved for the apparently greater duty of killing men.
Most of these countries have developed their plants on 'charcoal, this fuel being locally, obtainable in large quantities. Recently, however, Sweden has gone on to wood fuel, used in the same producer. because of a big demand for charcoal for steel smelting. France has been compelled to stop making plants, presumably because the fuel is all going to Germany.
In this country the developMent of producer gas hangs fire; petrol has been too easily obtainable. Were the liquid-fuel position to become the least acute, however, it would at once receive a stimulus. Evidence of this is supplied by the growing number of private motorists who are using it. If a reserve of producer plants, ready to be mounted on vehicles at short notice, were built up for emergency use, it would be a wise move.