Alcohol Fuels

Methanol and Ethanol

Methanol has also been proposed as a fuel of the future. There has been extensive use of methanol fuel in Funny Cars for years, and it has been used as a fuel for open wheel car racing in North America since 1965. Unfortunately, although its octane rating is comparable to ethanol and it has similar emissions, it is also toxic (producing some toxic emissions, formaldehyde and formic acid), and has a lower (-38%) energy content than ethanol (-55% compared to petrol.)

Ethanol is already being used extensively as a fuel additive, and the use of ethanol fuel alone or as part of a mix with gasoline is increasing. From 2007, the Indy Racing League will use ethanol as its exclusive fuel, after 40 years of using methanol. Since September 2007 petrol stations in NSW, Australia are mandated to supply all their petrol with 2% Ethanol content.

Methanol combustion is: 2CH3OH + 3O2 ? 2CO2 + 4H2O + heat

Ethanol combustion is: C2H5OH + 3O2 ? 2CO2 + 3H2O + heat