Alternative Fuels In Trucking, Vol. 4, No. 1
7/1/1995
This issue includes articles on: Ford liquefied petroleum gas-powered F-700 may set sales records; California considers fuel specifications; new ultra-safe LPG fueling nozzle; CNG 18-wheeler proves efficient; and alternative fuel alliance forms.
Alternative-Fueled Truck Demonstration Natural Gas Program: Caterpillar G3406LE Development and Demonstration
6/1/1995
In 1990, the California Energy Commission, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the Southern California Gas Company joined together to sponsor the development and demonstration of compressed natural gas engines for Class 8 heavy-duty line-haul trucking applications. This program became part of an overall Alternative-Fueled Truck Demonstration Program, with the goal of advancing the technological development of alternative-fueled engines. The demonstration showed natural gas to be a technically viable fuel for Class 8 truck engines.
Clean Fuels Paving the Way for America's Future: A Source for Information on Clean Burning Alternative Transportation Fuels
4/1/1995
With so many alternative fuels being promoted by various groups, it is important for legislators, the public and all interested parties to understand the different fuels that are available, how they are made, how they are used and their impact on the environment. This brochure is intended to help legislators at all levels to make informed decisions and for the media, with a responsibility of informing the public, to be educated on these issues. The fuels covered in this brochure include: ethanol, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, methanol, methyl tertiary butyl ether, biodiesel, gasoline additives and combustion modifiers, electric vehicles, natural gas and propane. It also summarizes regional and state clean fuel policies and regulations.
AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 3, Iss. 2)
10/1/1994
This issue includes articles on: 1) emissions testing of Dodge Spirit FFVs; 2) the EPA's issuance of final gaseous fuel emissions standards; 3) the AFDC's new option for retrieving data; 4) emissions data which show varied results on 1992 CNG/gasoline conversions; 5) downloading files from the AFDC for non-internet users; 6) accessing the AFDC through the internet; 7) a new methanol video from DOE, NREL, and Los Angeles MTA; 8) an EPACT update; and 9) upcoming meetings and conferences.
Injector Spray Characterization of Methanol in Reciprocating Engines
6/1/1994
This report covers a study that addressed cold-starting problems in alcohol-fueled, spark-ignition engines by using fine-spray port-fuel injectors to inject fuel directly into the cylinder. This task included development and characterization of some very fine-spray, port-fuel injectors for a methanol-fueled spark-ignition engine. After determining the spray characteristics, a computational study was performed to estimate the evaporation rate of the methanol fuel spray under cold-starting and steady-state conditions.
Authors: Dodge, L.;Naegeli, D.
Impacts of Alternative Fuels on Air Quality
6/1/1994
The objective of this project was to determine the impact of alternative fuels on air quality, particularly ozone formation. The alternative fuels of interest are methanol, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas, and natural gas. During the first year of study, researchers obtained qualitative data on the thermal degradation products from the fuel-lean (oxidative), stoichiometric, and fuel-rich (pyrolytic) decomposition of methanol and ethanol. The thermal degradation of ethanol produced a substantially larger number of intermediate organic by-products than the similar thermal degradation of methanol, and the organic intermediate by-products lacked stability. Also, a qualitative comparison of the UDRI flow reactor data with previous engine test showed that, for methanol, formaldehyde and acetone were the organic by-products observed in both types of tests; for ethanol, only very limited data were located.
Authors: Taylor, P. H.;Dellinger, B.
Alternative Fuels in Trucking, Vol. 3, No. 2
4/1/1994
This issue includes articles on: 1) the role of ethanol in heavy-duty applications; 2) methanol as a catalyst for emerging transportation technologies; and 3) a demonstration of the Caterpillar G3406LE natural gas engine.
AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 3, Iss. 1)
4/1/1994
This issue includes articles on: 1) AMFA heavy-duty data which indicates that E95 and CNG fuel economies are virtually the same as diesel; 2) DOE funding of a heavy-duty demonstration program; 3) DOE funding efforts for a safe school bus; 4) hotline inquiries; and 5) the comparison of fuel economies of light-duty AFVs.