DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE FUELS and FOSSIL FUELS SURVEY







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Fossil fuels and alternative fuels for the future? e.g. Possible Petrol Replacements

Fuel Consideration Factor	Hydrogen H₂	Methane (Natural Gas) CH₄	Liquefied Petroleum Gas L.P.G. mostly Propane C₃H₈, Butane C₄H₁₀	Methanol CH₃OH An oxygenate fuel	Ethanol CH₃CH₂OH An oxygenate fuel	Coal Mainly Carbon but contains some Sulphur
Suitability for road transport	Large volume. Not as convenient as petrol	Large volume. Not as convenient as petrol	Not as convenient as petrol but more dense than hydrogen or methane	Hygroscopic, absorbs water, causes corrosion	Hygroscopic, absorbs water, causes corrosion	NO, too inconvenient, polluting and back to the steam engine!
Safety in use	No more flammable or explosive than other gas fuels but more dangerous than liquids	No more flammable or explosive than other gas fuels but more dangerous than liquids	No more flammable than other gas fuels but more dangerous than liquids	Volatile, flammable, toxic liquid	Volatile, flammable, toxic liquid	Very safe, not flammable but a bit ‘mucky’!
Availability and cost of supply	Not readily available, made from water by electrolysis – needs energy source - Sun!	Large naturally occurring reserves	Large naturally occurring reserves	More costly, has to be synthesised from CO + H₂	More costly, has to be synthesised from ethene + water	Big reserves, easily transported
Energy Density J/ kg	Very high 143000kJ/kg	High 55600 kJ/kg	High 50000 kJ/kg	Lower 22700 kJ/kg	Lower 29717 kJ/kg	Moderate 32800 kJ/kg max if pure C
Can existing car engines be adapted	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Not applicable!
Ease of storage and distribution-can existing network be modified	As for natural gas, so OK	Piped delivery, OK	Stored under pressure, much more dense than natural gas	Readily stored and transported	Readily stored and transported	Readily stored and transported
Effect on Environment CO toxic SO₂, NO₂ irritant, toxic, acid rain Unburned C_xH_y carcinogens	Product on combustion water, cleanest possible fuel, no pollutants emitted	Produces carbon dioxide, a contributor to the ‘Greenhouse Effect’, less CO, NO₂	Produces carbon dioxide, a contributor to the ‘Greenhouse Effect’	Cleaner than alkane fuels, produces less CO, unburned C_xH_y, NO₂	Cleaner than alkane fuels, produces less CO, unburned C_xH_y, NO₂	Very polluting, lung irritant, SO₂causes acid rain, carcinogens, Greenhouse Effect gases etc. etc.