Contents
- 1 Can a petrol generator run on ethanol?
- 2 Can you run a generator on methanol?
- 3 Can a water wheel power a house?
- 4 How much water flow is needed to produce electricity?
- 5 How many kW does it take to run a house?
- 6 What can 100 kilowatts power?
- 7 Why is methanol bad in engines?
- 8 Which alcohol is the best fuel?
- 9 Can diesel engine run on pure alcohol?
- 10 Can you run an engine with alcohol?
- 11 Why is ethanol bad for generators?
- 12 What not to use with a generator?
Can generators run on alcohol?
While up to 10% ethanol is acceptable, non-ethanol-premium fuel is recommended. DO NOT use E85, gas/oil mix, or modify the engine to run on alternate fuels.
Can a petrol generator run on ethanol?
What kind of fuel should i use in my petrol generator.? Our range of petrol generators from manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda etc are designed to run on regular unleaded fuel and for good performance and efficient operation using fuel containing from 0 to 10% ethanol.
Do not use fuel containing more than 10% ethanol in your petrol generator. Ethanol is corrosive and also quickly attracts water from the air into the fuel. This can cause starting or running problems or, in some cases, damage to your engine’s fuel system.Add fuel stabilizer to your portable fuel container. Since you don’t know how long fuel will remain in your portable fuel container, it is recommended that you always add fuel stabilizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions when you fill the container with fresh fuel.When the generator is not in use. Always close the fuel cap vent. Store the generator away from direct sunlight in a cool, dry area if possible fuel will deteriorate faster when exposed to air and the heat from sunlight.If you do not plan to operate the generator frequently (less than once a month), drain the carburetor following the directions shown in the owner’s manual. The properties of fuel can quickly lead to stale fuel, causing starting or running problems.The fuel in the carburetor float bowl will deteriorate faster than fuel in the tank due to small fuel volume, proximity to engine heat, or being open to the atmosphere.If you do not plan to use your petrol generator for more than 12 months drain the fuel tank and carburetor following the storage procedure in your owner’s manual. Even treated fuel (with fuel stabilizer) left in the engine’s fuel system can deteriorate during long term storage, causing starting or running problems and, in some cases, damage to the fuel system.
What problems can occur from old fuel.? In storage, fuel immediately starts to naturally oxidize and deteriorate. The older it gets the more it deteriorates and the more likely it will cause hard starting and other performance issues that result from sticky deposits that clog the tiny passages in the fuel system.
In addition, ethanol in the fuel attracts water. Initially it mixes with the ethanol, but at higher concentrations it separates and settles to the lowest point, which leads to corrosion and starting and running problems. The lower the fuel level in the tank, the more likely you will experience water contamination.
If the fuel in your fuel tank and carburetor has significantly deteriorated during storage, you may need to have the carburetor and other fuel system components serviced or replaced. : What kind of fuel should i use in my petrol generator.?
How do you generate electricity from a stream?
Hydroelectricity
cheap heating and hot water affordable option for off grid homes cut your carbon footprint
Whether it’s from a small stream or a larger river, small or micro hydroelectricity systems, also called hydropower or hydro systems, can produce enough electricity for all electrical appliances and lighting in the average home. All streams and rivers flow downhill.
- Before the water flows down the hill, it has potential energy because of its height.
- Hydropower systems convert this potential energy into kinetic energy in a turbine, which drives a generator to produce electricity.
- The greater the height and the more water there is flowing through the turbine, the more electricity generated.
The amount of electricity a system generates also depends on how efficiently it converts the power of the moving water into electrical power. A hydro system can generate 24 hours a day, often generating all the electricity you need and more. A hydro system may generate more electricity than you need for powering your electrical appliances and lighting your home – so you could use the excess to heat your home and hot water too. Hydro schemes are one of the most reliable alternatives to mains supply for isolated properties. Installing a hydro system can be expensive, but in many cases, it’s less than the cost of getting a connection to the grid if you don’t already have one. Find out more about, Hydroelectricity is green, renewable energy and doesn’t release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants. Hydropower is very site specific. Most homes will not have access to a suitable resource even if they have a watercourse running nearby. If you might have a suitable site, the next step is to contact a certificated installer, who will assess your site.
Flow – how much water is flowing per second. Head – a difference in height over a reasonably short distance.
Find out more about hydropower systems and the, It’s also important to consider what happens to the river in summer. The minimum flow during dry periods is usually the deciding factor, no matter how impressive the river looks when it’s in flood. If there is a good hydro resource in or near your community, it might be worth developing it as a community energy project, rather than as a system to supply just one home. Costs for installing a hydro system vary, largely depending on the location and equipment required for install. Maintenance costs also vary but are usually low. Hydro systems are very reliable. Savings will depend on the amount of electricity the hydro system generates.
- This is affected by the number of hours the turbine can run in a year, which in turn depends on how often the level of the river is high enough to supply the system.
- Your installer will predict this for you and provide estimates on the amount of electricity you can expect to generate.
- Signing up for the Smart Export Guarantee tariff means you can receive payments for exported electricity for qualifying systems.
Please visit our for more information. Hydro systems were eligible for Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs) payments. The FITs scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2019. If you have already installed your hydro system on or before 31 March 2019 you may still be able to apply.
The guide to hydropower construction best practice has information for scheme owners and those working on hydro construction sites in Scotland. Find out more about different kinds of technology at the British Hydro Association.
Last updated: 7 September 2021 : Hydroelectricity
Can you run a generator on methanol?
General facts about the solution – How about fuel economy in the battery hybrid-fuel cell generator systems? The fuel cells run on a methanol/water mixture with 60% methanol and 40% distilled water and uses about 0.8-0.9 liter mixture for each kWh of power produced which corresponds to an overall fuel to power efficiency of around 40-45% – much higher than the 30-33% the most efficient diesel generators will yield.
- The systems scale up easily for voltage and effect demands – it’s basically a question of adding battery capacity and fuel cells.
- The battery hybrid fuel cell systems run near totally silent except for ventilation systems for the fuel cells and electronics and emit only water vapor and CO2.
- Methanol can be renewable if made from biomass or made synthetically by chemical synthesis of hydrogen and CO2 via electricity and a catalyst (provided the electricity is renewable).
When the methanol comes from a renewable source the generator systems will run near CO2 neutral. Per Aarsleff has expressed great satisfaction with the system as it allows them to generate power at their various work sites 24/7 without being affected of noise and emission restrictions in urban areas.
The system runs up to 50 hours on a tank allowing the company to use it for a full working week without the need for refilling. Finally the fuel cell generator systems adapt well to varying power demands and will seamless adjust power production and fuel consumption to the current draw on the system, unlike diesel generators that more or less use the same amount of fuel at low and high power demands.
Methanol as a fuel is cheaper per energy unit than diesel and combined with a higher system efficiency than a conventional generator, overall fuel economy for power generation is significantly better leveling out the higher purchase price of the methanol system over time.
According to Serenergy also system maintenance costs are lower compared to diesel generators. The collaboration between technology providers and testing partners has led to a commercially ready technological platform for methanol fueled power generation giving technology adopters a leading edge in public tenders in various industries and sectors mainly due to the environmental friendliness of the solutions allowing them to meet environmental restrictions and regulations.
The leading edge will only grow in coming years as those restrictions are expected to be stronger and wider.
What proof alcohol is needed to run an engine?
Brow Beat In the new movie Lawless, brothers Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) and Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy) find themselves unexpectedly out of gas on a tense drive out of Franklin County, Va. Luckily, they’re booze-running bootleggers, and after emptying a mason jar of moonshine into the tank, their automobile is back up and running.
Can cars really run on moonshine? Only if it’s really strong stuff. To power a car, moonshine—in this case, illicit homemade whiskey—must have an extremely high alcohol content, at minimum 150 proof (or 75 percent alcohol by volume), or 190 proof for best results. During the Prohibition, moonshine could be as weak as 63 proof and as strong as 190 proof,
Alcohol has been used to fuel cars since the dawn of the modern automobile. Henry Ford’s Model T was equipped for running on ethanol as well as gasoline. And in recent years, the federal government has mandated that ethanol make up about 10 percent of most gasoline bought at the pump,
Others drive on the more controversial E85, which is 85 percent alcohol. Some penny pinchers have even installed legal “moonshine” stills in their own backyards, to save on gas money. Practically any car could run on high-potency hooch, though the level of performance would vary. The Ford Model A driven in the historical novel Lawless is based on would run pretty smoothly, though it would lose about 30 percent of its horse power.
Most automobiles made prior to 2000 aren’t equipped to handle alcohol long-term, and fueling with ethanol can lead to leaks, rust, and corrosion, However, since alcohol has become a regular additive to gasoline, modern fuel systems have developed a much higher tolerance for the substance.
Can an engine run on 100 ethanol?
What is ethanol? – Ethanol (ethyl alcohol), also found in alcoholic drinks, is produced by fermenting sugar solution. In the US, this means growing corn and using the starch produced. Grass, wood and agricultural waste can also be used to make “cellulosic” ethanol, Pure ethanol – 100% ethanol or E100 – could theoretically be used to power cars, but generally isn’t, for numerous reasons:
- Ethanol is bad for cold-starting, because it doesn’t burn as quickly as gasoline. (It has a higher octane, if you’re interested.) Pure ethanol would be useless as fuel in the winter months.
- There are no passenger cars designed to take E100 (but some racing cars are) so it could damage your car engine. Even Flexible-Fuel vehicles (FFVs) – which can run on petrol or ethanol – can only take up to E85,
- 100% ethanol is hard to come by. Technically, it’s drinkable as a very strong alcoholic beverage.U.S. regulations require fuel alcohols to be undrinkable and diluted to 95.5%. And, unless it is mixed with petrol, ethanol would be subject to liquor tax/ alcohol duty,
Ethanol is therefore blended with petrol – usually 85% ethanol to 15% petrol, or E85 – to produce the most common biofuel in the States. The highest percentage of ethanol fuel sold in the US is E85, but in sunny Brazil it is E95 – starting the car in cold weather being less of an issue. Flex Fuel vehicles have yellow petrol caps in the US It is argued that E10 can be used in regular cars without the requirement for engine modification; but many have suggested that older cars can still be damaged by using even small amounts of ethanol in the fuel.
Why petrol engines are not used in generators?
Petrol Generator Disadvantages: – Below are some of the disadvantages of the petrol engine generator:
Petrol is a much more volatile fuel compare to diesel, coupled with the spark ignition can make working with it riskier. When petrol burns, it burns at higher temperatures than diesel does. The increased temperatures will lead to more wear and tear on the engine of your generator. Therefore, over time, petrol engine generators tend to need more repair and maintenance than a diesel engine would. This means they also have a shorter working lifetime and can be more expensive to own. Unlike diesel engine generators, petrol engine generators are unable to run at high loads for extended periods of time.
: Diesel Generator Vs. Petrol Generator: Advantages and Disadvantages
Why should ethanol not be used as fuel?
Ethanol is Corrosive – Ethanol is corrosive. Ethanol reacts naturally with oxygen in the air to form acidic compounds which lead to corrosion of fuel system components and engine wear. With the presence of both water and ethanol, corrosion is accelerated in all metal types.
- Aluminum engine and fuel system parts are very susceptible to ethanol corrosion.
- Use a corrosion inhibitor to alleviate the problems associated with ethanol corrosion.
- Testing shows Biobor EB to be the best choice for protecting your assets against corrosion.
- Accelerated corrosion testing performed on Biobor EB showed that it protects metals from corrosion, even in the most extreme circumstances.
To see the independent test results, go to the Practical Sailor Article. Left Injector – untreated fuel; Right Injector – treated with Biobor EB
How much power can a small water turbine generate?
Microhydropower can be one of the most simple and consistent forms or renewable energy on your property. If you have water flowing through your property, you might consider building a small hydropower system to generate electricity. Microhydropower systems usually generate up to 100 kilowatts of electricity.
- Most of the hydropower systems used by homeowners and small business owners, including farmers and ranchers, would qualify as microhydropower systems.
- But a 10-kilowatt microhydropower system generally can provide enough power for a large home, a small resort, or a hobby farm.
- A microhydropower system needs a turbine, pump, or waterwheel to transform the energy of flowing water into rotational energy, which is converted into electricity.
Our page on planning a microhydropower system has more information.
Can a water wheel power a house?
Can Water Wheels Produce Electricity? – In theory, if attached to a generator, water wheels can be used to produce electricity. However, they are not seen as the most efficient way to do so. The reason water wheels are not a great source of power is that they are large and cumbersome and so do not rotate rapidly enough to generate much energy. Water Wheel at Thwaite Watermill, Leeds
How much water flow is needed to produce electricity?
Determining the “Head” at Your Potential Micro-hydropower Site – In a potential micro-hydropower site, head is the vertical distance that water falls. When evaluating a potential site, head is usually measured in feet, meters, or units of pressure. Head also is a function of the characteristics of the channel or pipe through which it flows.
Most micro-hydropower sites are categorized as low or high head. The higher the head the better because you’ll need less water to produce a given amount of power and you can use smaller, less expensive equipment. Low head refers to a change in elevation of less than 66 feet (20 meters), and ultralow head refers to a change in elevation of less than 10 feet (3 meters).
A vertical drop of less than 2 feet (0.6 meters) will probably make a small-scale hydroelectric system unfeasible. However, for extremely small power generation amounts, a flowing stream with as little as 13 inches of water can support a submersible turbine.
This type of turbine was originally used to power scientific instruments towed behind oil exploration ships, and are similar to some hydrokinetic power systems from river or tidal currents. When determining head, you need to consider both gross head and net head. Gross head is the vertical distance between the top of the forebay water level where the penstock (or pipe) that conveys the water under pressure is attached and the level of water where the turbine water discharges.
Net head equals gross head minus losses due to friction and turbulence in the piping. The most accurate way to determine gross head is to have a professional survey the site. To get a rough estimate, you can use U.S. Geological Survey maps of your area or the hose-tube method.
- An assistant
- A 20–30 foot (6–9 meters) length of small-diameter garden hose or other flexible tubing
- A funnel
- A yardstick or measuring tape.
- Stretch the hose or tubing down the stream channel from the point that is the most practical elevation for the penstock intake. Have your assistant hold the upstream end of the hose, with the funnel in it, underwater as near the surface as possible.
- Meanwhile, lift the downstream end until water stops flowing from it. Measure the vertical distance between your end of the tube and the surface of the water. This is the gross head for that section of stream.
- Have your assistant move to where you are and place the funnel at the same point where you took your measurement. Then walk downstream and repeat the procedure. Continue taking measurements until you reach the point where you plan to site the turbine.
The sum of these measurements will give you a rough approximation of the gross head for your site. Note: due to the water’s force into the upstream end of the hose, water may continue to move through the hose after both ends of the hose are actually level.
You may wish to subtract an inch or two (2–5 centimeters) from each measurement to account for this. It is best to be conservative in these preliminary gross head measurements. If your preliminary estimates look favorable, you will want to acquire more accurate measurements. As stated already, the most accurate way to determine head is to have a professional survey your site.
But if you know you have an elevation drop on your site of several hundred feet, you can use an aircraft altimeter. You may be able to buy, borrow, or rent an altimeter from a small airport or flying club. A word of caution, however: while using an altimeter might be less expensive than hiring a professional surveyor, your measurement will be less accurate.
How many kW does it take to run a house?
Do you ever wonder how much power or energy your home uses? You’re not alone. Many homeowners in the US are curious about their energy consumption but don’t know where to start. The average American household uses about 10,000 kWh of electricity per month.
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What can 100 kilowatts power?
You should evaluate the right size of the generator before you venture out to purchase a generator for your home, office or factory. The calculation is straightforward, and will thus save you a lot of time, energy and money. The Calculation As a standard rule, companies rate the generator output in Watts (W) or KiloWatts (kW).
The accepted formula is Watts = Volts X Amps. Therefore, when you purchase a 5kW generator delivering 120 Volts, it can give you an output of 41.67 amps. Similarly, you have dual voltage generators that can provide an output of 120 Volts as well as 240 Volts. How do you decide the type of generator to buy? Prepare a list of all the electrical appliances you want to power in your home, office or factory.
Add up the power consumption in Watts to figure out the generator capacity you need. Note that specific appliances like air conditioners or electric motors require substantially high wattage to start, but later on can operate with lesser power. You should always go for a higher capacity generator.
- If all the electrical appliances add up to say 5000 watts in your home or 200,000 watts in your factory, you should go for a minimum of 7.5 kW generator for your home and a 300 kW generator for your factory.
- Let us now look at some of the generators of various sizes and discuss their working and other features and aspects.1 kW to 10 kW generators Homes and small offices can work on 1 kW to 10kW generators,
A 5kW generator can power up to four lights, a fan, an electric motor and a refrigerator. Small homes can function with such a basic generator. However, the ideal generator for a home should at least be of 10 kW capacity. A 10 kW generator is equivalent to an emergency backup power system capable of providing basic comfort and security.
- These portable generators usually run on diesel, natural gas or propane.
- In some cities there are provisions for connecting generators to your home gas line, thereby eliminating the need for filling fuel tanks.10 kW to 50 kW generators Nowadays, people use several electrical appliances in their homes such as AC units, geysers, water purifiers, water pumps and so on.
These appliances require more power to function. Appliances like washing machines might consume 750 Watts but need about 2500 watt to start. It is better to choose a generator with a capacity higher than your standard requirement. Therefore, many households opt to have 50 kW generators as a durable standby power source.
These generators run on fuels like diesel, natural gas and propane. Yes, they make noise, but you can set up mufflers to muzzle the sound.50 kW to 100 kW generators Anything over 50 kW is not necessary for home units. Offices and restaurants can opt for generators in the 50 kW to 100 kW capacity range.
These generators can power up AC units, especially central air conditioning systems. Offices have a large number of computers, lights and fans to power in addition to AC units. Therefore, 100 kW generators would be ideal to provide backup power to an office.
A 100 kW generator is a large unit that can create sufficient noise to distract people. Modern-day gensets come with powerful silencers and mufflers to reduce noise distractions. Such large generators usually run on diesel engines.100 kW to 200 kW generators Industries and large offices need generators with capacities exceeding 100 kW.
These generators are large machines capable of running for about eight to ten hours on a full tank. Industrial machines consume a lot of power. Therefore, small to medium industries need a minimum of 100 kW to 200 kW generators. These generators can also power marine equipment like fishing boats and trawlers.
These machines can function on both diesel and gas depending on the availability of suitable fuel. Generators running on gas are more environmentally friendly as compared to the ones that run on diesel.200 kW to 300 kW generators Large industries and high-rise buildings require generators with high capacities because these units require powering large machines, elevators and a large number of AC units and so on.300 kW generators run on diesel or gas.
Some of them also classify as bi-fuel generators. Modern-day gensets come with high-quality silencers that make these generators as noiseless as possible. Greater than 300 kW generators When you need workhorse generators to power large industries and official establishments, you have to rely on generators with capacities more than 300 kW.
These gensets are capable of powering heavy machines and large equipment. Usually, these generators work on diesel and produce a lot of noise. But high-quality silencers available today make these machines one of the most sophisticated generators of today. Reach out to Top Generator Dealers near you and get free quotes Disclaimer : The above content is non-editorial and produced by a third party advertiser.
Times Internet Limited/ Economic Times does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of the content or its genuineness. The product prices mentioned in the article are subject to change including depending upon offers given by Amazon.
Is there a generator that runs on water?
TABODD 50W 100W Micro Hydroelectric Turbine Generator, Low-Speed Hydro Water Wheel Generator for Household Outdoor Lighting Generation Power Equipment Hydro Water Turbine Generator.
What happens if you put methanol in diesel?
Understanding Water/Methanol Injection on Diesels Full credit for this information goes to Snow Performance. This type of detailed information and attention to detail is why we are proud to carry the Snow Performance product line! What are the benefits of Water/Methanol injection?
Greatly reduced EGTs – Decreases of 250 degrees F are common using a 50/50 water/methanol mix. Increased EGTs are an engine killer in today’s performance diesel world. Low cost power – Where else can you get 50-100 HP for as low as $549? What other modification does all these things with one system? Greatly increased air charge densities – 3-5 psi boost increases are common with liquid intercooling. Decreased emissions – increased combustion efficiency means less particulate matter and NOX emissions. Fuel economy increase – increase your fuel economy up to 10%-15% (1-3 mpg). Great for towing – more power/cooler EGT’s to haul the heaviest loads.
Why is Water/Methanol injection so effective on Diesels? Unlike gasoline engines, the power in a turbo diesel is largely a function of fuel. The problem with continually adding fuel is that you create an over-fueling condition and reach a point where the exhaust gas temperatures become prohibitive (over 1300 degrees F).
Air charge cooling – Water/methanol usually lowers air charge temps over 200 degrees F. Low air temps makes denser air charge which provides more molecules of oxygen for combustion. Combustion conditioning – the methanol acts as a combustion catalyst as well as a cooling agent. Water vaporization inside the combustion chamber increases torque and power output through “the steam” effect.
Where else can you get this kind of power with cooler EGT’s, reduced emissions, and more fuel economy? Is this technology new with Turbo Diesel? Water-methanol injection for diesel engines has been used extensively for years in high performance truck/tractor pullers.
A cooler, denser air charge is now delivered to the combustion chamber – this allows more diesel fuel to be burned than before. The methanol in the injection fluid burns as a fuel. This directly impacts power production. The water vaporizes in the combustion chamber, creating rapidly expanding steam which pushes down on the piston to create additional torque. The extra power produced depends heavily on the concentration of methanol used and the volume injected. Typical power gains in 5.9L and larger applications with a 50% mixture of water/methanol are 50-100 WHP and a 100-150ft lb-ft increase in torque.
Can the Snow Performance system improve my fuel economy? Yes. The MPG-MAX™ systems are designed to do just that. Both the diesel and gasoline MPG-MAX™ systems are specifically designed to inject a very small and precise amount of water/methanol under normal driving conditions such as accelerating away from a stop light or driving up a slight grade.
Diesel MPG-MAX systems benefit from the methanol directly due to the fact that it combusts as a fuel, allowing for brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) to be reduced. Typical gains are 10-15% better fuel economy or 1-3 MPG. In some cases and in independent testing, gains of up to 30% have been observed in diesels.
What fluid can I use in my system?
Boost Juice: This is the best fluid to use and is Snow Performance’s 49% methanol, 51% water mixture that can be shipped to your door or picked up at a local dealer. (If you are using your washer reservoir as the injection tank, Boost Juice is a great washer fluid – works as a de-icer!) Windshield Washer fluid: Only if it is blue in color and rated for -20 deg F. This means it is safe to use and made of about 30% methanol, 70% water. If it is another color or another temperature rating, do not use it. It should NOT have any extra additives or features. You can “spike” your Blue -20 Washer fluid to a 50% mixture by adding 3 ea.12oz yellow bottles of Heet® gas-line-antifreeze to every gallon of washer fluid. Mix your own: You just need to make sure the methanol is “neat” and contains no lubricants or other additives. We recommend a 50% mixture. Ethanol: It is not as good as methanol, but it can be used as a 2nd best option if you can’t find methanol. It can also be mixed with water up to 50%. Do NOT use E85 or any other fluid with gasoline mixed in. It will destroy the fluid delivery part of your Boost Cooler® and instantly void the warranty. Isopropyl/Denatured Alcohols: These can be used, but are not as good as methanol. They have a lower BTU, or energy content, and a lower latent heat of vaporization (fancy way of saying how much heat they absorb) as well as a lower octane rating compared to methanol.
Why Methanol? Methanol is an extremely clean fuel with an excellent cost/benefit ratio. Its high latent heat of vaporization also makes it an excellent air charge cooler which means a denser mixture and more horsepower. Because of these characteristics, it is a better fuel than ethanol although it will work in a pinch.
Isopropanol has different combustion characteristics and should not be used. Methanol is extremely toxic and should be handled with rubber gloves in well ventilated areas only. Care should be taken to avoid skin contact. Is Methanol Safe for my Diesel? Methanol makes an excellent adjunct fuel. Because it has a cetane number of 4CN, it makes safe power without spiking cylinder pressures.
“Combustion of neat methanol alone results in a cetane number of 4CN with reduced PM (smoke) and NOx. ” see SAE Technical Paper #940326 “Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of Minimally Processed Methanol in a Diesel Engine” Where can I purchase methanol? Snow Performance sells a 51/49 water/methanol mix as Boost Juice™.
- If this is used exclusively, Snow Performance can lifetime warranty a system so long as the free registration card is sent in soon after purchase.Methanol can generally be purchased where racing fuels are sold.
- Also, most gas line dryers like “Heet” are simply methanol.
- Suppliers of industrial chemicals can also supply methanol for a very reasonable price.
Methanol can be purchased online at VP Racing Fuels. -20 degree F rated, blue windshield washer fluid is acceptable for use as well, and is available at most service stations. Although some fluids rated to under -20 degrees F contain glycol and other copolymers, most windshield washer fluids are up to 40% methanol.
- Try to find one that displays “contains methanol” on the label and is good to -20 degrees F, with no additives or special ingredients and is blue in color.
- Additionally, many sprint car drivers and circle track and drag racers use methanol as a primary fuel.
- They often have methanol on hand and will even sell methanol that has been un-sealed for a long time at a very low price.
Just be sure that the methanol has NO additives or lubricants (such as top lube), as they are not needed and can damage the pump.
Can I use pure methanol? While all components of Snow Performance systems are designed to be able to handle pure methanol, it is not recommended for a number of reasons. Safety: Pure methanol is easy to ignite with a low 140F degree flash-point and burns with an invisible flame.
Performance: Water absorbs more much heat than methanol in the intake and inside the combustion chamber. However, water cannot be flash-ignited, so volume-for-volume, it is more prone to cause combustion quench. SAE studies on the effect of methanol as a fuel in diesel reveals a cetane of 4CN (increased ignition delay) as well as increased area under the Torque curve during the power stroke (as piston is going down after TDC) resulting in safe power (not from greatly increased cylinder pressure).
How much range will a tank of Water/Methanol provide? Diesels use more fluid than a gasoline application, and are in heavier load states more often. On a Stage 1 or 2 system, the factory washer fluid tank on a pickup truck (usually 1-1.5 gallons) will last a tank of fuel. This is for normal mixed driving with no towing and some aggressive acceleration.
On a Stage 3 system used for towing, a 7 gallon reservoir usually lasts 1-2 tanks of diesel fuel. In an un-loaded state, the 7 gallon reservoir will provide about 1000 miles of range. When towing, the 7 gallon usually lasts about 500 miles. A standard Stage 3 system will use about 1 gallon of liquid for every 75 miles of towing.
Many Stage 3 users take advantage of their stock washer tank or the special universal fitting included in Stage 3 Snow Performance diesel kits with a custom large capacity tank. Be sure to use a solenoid upgrade for any reservoir mounted in the rear of the vehicle. Where can I mount my reservoir and pump? The pump needs to be within about 24″ (hose length) of the reservoir, and as low or lower than the base of the reservoir.
It is a “pusher” pump, not a “puller” pump. Engine bay: In the engine bay, the reservoir and pump can be placed almost anywhere, as long as they are not very close to exhaust heat, or in the path of debris from the road. Just be sure that the pump is at the same level or below the reservoir, and that the reservoir is not located higher than the nozzle.
- If the reservoir has to be higher than the nozzle, a solenoid upgrade (part number 40060) is needed to prevent gravity-feed.
- Trunk/Bed mounting: This is fine, but again, the pump needs to be close to the reservoir and gravity fed.
- Lengths of 20-25 ft of tubing to the nozzle are fine.
- We always recommend a #40060 solenoid for rear-reservoir mounting.
A solenoid is included with the #40016 7 gallon reservoir. I don’t have any room in the engine bay for a reservoir, what are my options? Use the factory washer-fluid tank. A bulkhead fitting allows the use of the factory washer fluid tank as a reservoir.50/50 water/methanol makes an excellent washer fluid.
Stage one and two kits often utilize this strategy. Bed mounted reservoir. The reservoir and pump can be mounted in the back of the vehicle.7 gallon reservoir upgrade features extra tubing, a solenoid upgrade, and mounting brackets for bed mounting. We always recommend a #40060 solenoid for rear mounting with any reservoir/vehicle.
Where can I mount the nozzle? The best placement of the nozzles is in the area around the inlet to the intake manifold or virtually anywhere on the pipe leading from the intercooler to the intake manifold. The nozzles can be placed at any position on the tube, so long as they are pointing at a 90 degree angle to the direction of airflow.
- The nozzles can be placed in a series or right next to each other.
- There is enough heat and velocity and flow through the pipe under boost to absorb the water/methanol regardless of the nozzle positions relative to each other.
- Some intakes are pre-drilled for Snow Performance nozzles.
- As long as all of the airflow into the engine will pass by all nozzles used in the system, even distribution and cooling will result.
Placement before the intercooler or turbo(s) is not recommended. Cooling is not improved. Never mount an injector nozzle before a turbocharger compressor. Sending fluid through the compressor wheel that spins anywhere from 50,000rpm to 250,000rpm can erode the leading edges of the fine aluminum.
- Studies performed by SAAB, concluded that pre-turbo injection will over time cause cavitation on the turbo wheel leading edges.
- Is it better to inject the water/methanol solution before or after the Turbo? Where is the best place for a few specific trucks? (Duramax, Power Stroke, 5.9L/6.7L Cummins CR).
There has been more discussion recently (especially on the internet) advocating pre-turbo injection. Most of the debate centers around increased atomization. You can probably get away with this in the short run if you inject a small quantity of finely atomized fluid (less than 10micron droplet) with a very low injection duty cycle.
Also if you don’t care about turbo longevity (like some competition diesels where the turbo is replaced frequently) or you have a system that doesn’t atomize correctly and need the turbulence to help (low injection pressure and nozzles that aren’t designed to atomize correctly). In diesels, especially where injection quantities are large in relation to fuel and where there is benefit to injecting at low/mid engine load states on up, it becomes a question of when compressor wheel damage becomes too severe as pre-turbo injection has been proven to cause compressor wheel erosion.
The amount of erosion depends on the quantity injected, the size of the droplet injected, the speed of the compressor wheel, and the injection duty cycle (what % of total engine operation is water-methanol injected). Also, the argument of reduction in compressor work per unit flow and the increase in mass flow rate doesn’t hold water in a properly sized modern turbo. Copyright © 2023 Glacier Diesel Power. All Rights Reserved. Powered by, : Understanding Water/Methanol Injection on Diesels
What happens if you put methanol in gasoline?
Extensive product research, as well as years of commercial experience, indicate that properly blended methanol in gasoline has no adverse effect on vehicle performance. In fact, methanol-gasoline blends have cleaner burning properties that generally reduce CO, HC, PM and air toxics from most gasoline engine vehicles.
Why is methanol bad in engines?
Methanol is highly corrosive to aluminum components, and an unregulated amount of the content in petrol can damage vital parts of an automobile like gaskets and rubber hoses.
Which alcohol is the best fuel?
The alcohols become more like petroleum fuels as their chemical weights increase. Methyl alcohol has the lowest combustion energy of all the fuels listed. However, it also has the lowest stoichiometric or chemically correct air-fuel ratio. Therefore, an engine burning methyl alcohol would produce the most power.
Can diesel engine run on pure alcohol?
1. Introduction – The development of next-generation internal combustion engines and new technologies to prevent air pollution and the depletion of resources is underway around the world. Many researchers are studying the application of alternative fuels to improve the mechanical functioning and efficiency of internal combustion engines.
Bajpai et al. and Mahumdul et al. summed up the features of bio-diesel produced with various kinds of raw materials, and reported that biodiesels were sufficient as a fuel for internal combustion engines and were likely to reduce emissions and prevent the depletion of fossil fuels. Lim et al. studied GTL (Gas-To-Liquid), a synthetic fuel in the form of a clean diesel fuel generated by the Fischer–Tropsch process, and reported its potential as a fuel for the diesel engine.
The representative alternative fuel is biofuel, such as biodiesel and bioethanol, which is produced from vegetable or animal raw materials. Biodiesel and bioethanol have the advantage of containing oxygen in the fuel itself. Biodiesel contains oxygen, ranging from 10 to 12 percent, and ethanol contains about 35 percent,
Many studies have been conducted on the application of biodiesel to diesel engines that have confirmed biodiesel’s positive effect on the reduction of pollutant emissions emitted from diesel engines, Ethanol is known to be an acceptable fuel for gasoline engines because it has a high octane number,
Pure ethanol cannot be used in diesel engines, but it can be used by in blends with diesel fuel. For use as a fuel in an internal combustion or diesel engine, ethanol has many favorable properties, such as low viscosity, high oxygen content, high H/C ratio, low sulfur content and high evaporative cooling, which improve its volumetric efficiency.
- Ethanol has a lower viscosity compared to diesel, which results in the superior atomization of fuel injected into cylinders, and improves the mixing with air when it is blended with diesel.
- Ethanol also has a high latent heat of evaporation, so using ethanol in a diesel engine by blending it with diesel or biodiesel fuel can increase the volume efficiency by the evaporative cooling of ethanol in the intake and compression strokes.
There are three ways to apply ethanol to diesel engines, The first method is to supply ethanol fumigation to the intake air using a carburetor or an injector on the manifold. The second method is to build a dual injection system on the cylinder head by modifying the configuration of the system and mechanically changing the engine cylinder head.
- Lastly, ethanol can effectively be used in diesel engines by blending alcohol and diesel, while preventing phase separation, without modifying the engine system.
- Many studies have been conducted on the third approach of the above methods. He et al.
- Compared the results of the experiment obtained by applying ethanol 10%-diesel and ethanol 30%-diesel fuels to a four-cylinder direct injection diesel engine.
NOx, CO and smoke decreased when using the ethanol blends, but HC increased. Rakopoulos et al. experimented by blending 10% and 15% ethanol (by vol.%) with conventional diesel in a six-cylinder heavy-duty direct injection diesel engine. In that study, CO and NOx tended to decrease slightly, while HC increased.
- Furthermore, BSFC increased but BTE decreased with increasing alcohol concentration.
- Sayin applied ethanol–diesel blends, which had 10% ethanol and 15% ethanol by volume, to a single-cylinder four-stroke engine to conduct an experiment with an engine load of 30 Nm at 1000 rpm and 1800 rpm.
- The results of the experiment showed that CO, HC and smoke opacity decreased, but NOx and BSFC increased.
Alptekin tested the effect of a 15% ethanol–diesel blend on three engine speeds (1500, 2000, 2500 rpm) and several engine loads (BMEP 3.3, 5.0, 6.6, 8.3 bar), and reported an increase of pollutant emissions and BSFC. Li et al. applied diesel blended with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% ethanol by volume to a single-cylinder direct injection diesel engine, and conducted experiments on five engine load conditions (25%, 50%, 75%, 90% and 100%) and two engine speeds (the rated and maximum speed).
- The addition of ethanol reduced CO and NOx, and increased HC and BSFC.
- In the study of Author links open overlay panel Lü et al.
- 15% ethanol–diesel blended fuel was applied to a four-cylinder 3.2-L diesel engine, which demonstrated that CO and HC increased and NOx decreased. Di et al.
- Applied ethanol to diesel and biodiesel to confirm its impact.
The concentrations of ethanol in the test fuels were 2, 4, 6 and 8% by volume. It was reported that the BTE improved as ethanol increased, while HC and CO decreased, but NOx increased. Huang et al. conducted a study using five types of ethanol–diesel blended fuels (0, 10, 20, 25 and 30% ethanol by volume).
- The BTE was reduced because the lower heating value (LHV) of ethanol is low, and the smoke was reduced.
- The CO decreased above the central load, but increased at low loads and low speeds.
- Furthermore, the HC increased.
- However, NOx had different emission trends depending on each fuel condition, engine load and engine speed condition.
In addition to the studies of the application of ethanol with diesel, many studies are underway on the application of methanol, an alcohol-based fuel that is less-frequently mixed with diesel than ethanol, but is fully applicable. Jamrozik and Tutak et al.
used various proportions of methanol and ethanol–diesel fuel to compare combustion and emission characteristics. In this study, bioethanol was blended with diesel fuel and applied to a four-cylinder common-rail direct injection diesel engine applied to a commercial passenger vehicle. Notably, this experiment was conducted in a low-speed idle condition.
Low idling operation is one of the worst operating conditions of the engine, with poor combustion and high exhaust pollutants. Rahman et al. explained that, during idling, the mixture of air and fuel is rich, and combustion is unstable due to the low operating temperature of the engine, resulting in the increased generation of exhaust pollutants, and more exhaust pollutants being emitted when devices such as air conditioners are operated.
- Brodrick et al.
- Explained that the engine has a thermal efficiency of 30% under high-speed driving conditions, but only 3–11% at idle.
- Many researchers reported increased emissions of exhaust pollutants under idle conditions using heavy-duty engines.
- Han et al.
- Reported an increase in NOx under idle conditions, Brodrick et al.
and McCormick et al. showed an increase in HC and Storey et al. showed an increase in CO. The previous studies were conducted and researched with engines from heavy-duty trucks at high idle, over 1000 rpm. In the above mentioned high idle, the engine runs at a low rated speed with a low load.
Can you run an engine with alcohol?
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Alcohol as a Fuel? – There are some pros and cons to switching from gasoline to ethanol fuel. For example, the amount of land required to grow enough corn to produce enough ethanol could be a problem in the future. Another potential issue is that using crops to produce ethanol could hurt the world’s food resources, resulting in food shortages.
- Despite that, some countries already use a high ethanol fuel blend, like Brazil’s E25, with India planning to do the same by 2025.
- India’s move from traditional gasoline to ethanol will reduce pollution because it burns cleaner than gas.
- It will also reduce oil import costs and hopefully bring more investors to the country.
The bottom line is that while some cars can run on ethanol without problems, others will find it difficult. The fact that ethanol attracts and absorbs water is bad for any engine not designed to deal with it. Will the world switch from gasoline to ethanol as an alternative fuel source? It’s unlikely, as most cars on the road will have to be modified, which would be another headache altogether.
Why is ethanol bad for generators?
Most gasoline today contains ethanol additives. The ethanol is intended to reduce carbon emissions. Unfortunately, as with so many mandates from our benevolent overlords, there are a few unintended side effects. This product ( http://goo.gl/x09tjn ) can help save your engines from ethanol fuel that causes corrosion and clogged fuel lines while saving the world.
Ethanol is especially hard on small engines like RV generators. You don’t want to let it sit inside your engine untreated throughout the winter. As the poet John Michael (Ozzy) Osbourne once observed, “Good intentions pave the way to Hell.” ( I’m afraid ol’ Ozzy ripped off St. Bernard of Clairvaux who originally coined the phrase back in 1150.
But I digress.) Ethanol often leads to small engines dying well before their time. Which leads to landfills being clogged with dead ethanol laden small engines. Which leads to the purchase of new small engines and more ethanol. In the old days, we bought products that were built to last.
How quaint. Today? The new approach works kind of like the new math: 1. Buy engine.2. Insert ethanol.3. Experience mysterious engine starting problems.4. Toss engine in landfill.5. Repeat. But hey, it’s good for the environment – err, right? We use Sta-bil fuel additive in an effort to keep our equipment out of landfills.
Sta-bil has been around for a long time, but it has become more popular as the percentage of ethanol in our fuel has increased. Sometimes for fun I balance a bottle of Sta-bil atop of a bottle of gasoil atop SEEMORE’s tailgate. It’s just a hobby of mine.
My wife and I own several pieces of gasoline powered equipment. Some are RV camping related, while others are not. Here’s a partial list: a 3000 Watt inverter generator we use primarily for RV camping, a lawnmower, a weed eater, a leaf blower, and a pressure washer. Each piece of gear contains a gasoline engine that’s often filled with ethanol laden fuel.
As old fuel ages in these less sophisticated small engines, all sorts of problems develop. STA-BIL is key to saving small engines like generators, lawn mowers, and the like from the harmful effects of ethanol. (Click the pic to get some!) Why is fuel aging in the gear? Depending on the season, there are times when this equipment is not used very much.
- For example, there’s not much demand for our lawnmower in the middle of winter.
- When we are not out RV camping, our fancy generator may go months without seeing much action.
- If ethanol fuel sits in these engines for too long, it may cause all sort of problems.
- Fuel starts to break down within 30-60 days of storage.
As the ethanol deteriorates, it leaves behind residue and water. Good luck starting a leaf blower after it’s been stored with untreated ethanol fuel for a few months. We always want our RV generator to fire on the first crank, but after soaking its innards in old ethanol for a few months it may become a 150-pound door stop.
In the old days we might drain the fuel from all of this gear, which would be time consuming, messy, and a pain in the buttocks area. But in the Ethanol Age, it would also be a waste of time. An empty fuel tank (especially one with residual traces of ethanol) would just invite corrosion. When you empty the tank of fuel, the ethanol residue and gum stays behind.
It’s actually better to leave fuel in the gear and treat that fuel with an additive. That’s why we use Sta-bil, (::cue Hallelujah chorus::) STA-BIL has been around for a while, but is becoming increasingly popular since our gasoline started boasting more corn. (Click the pic to get some!) This delightful fuel stabilizer is the Huma Abedin to ethanol’s Anthony Weiner. Sta-bil fuel stabilizer keeps fuel fresh for easy starts once we pull these items out of storage.
It also claims to prolong engine life due to its variety of positive qualities. Sta-bil removes water to prevent corrosion. It cleans carburetors and fuel injectors. It also protects engines from gum and varnish rust. It’s easy to use. There’s no need to drain the existing fuel from the engine. You just add it to the tank in the proper dosage.
Many people swear by this product. In fact, some add a little to their automotive gasoline engines on every fill-up, and not just when they’re placing cars into storage. Many of the protective benefits should be realized even if the car and/or engine is in service.
Can alcohol fuel an engine?
A dish of ethanol aflame Various alcohols are used as fuel for internal combustion engines, The first four aliphatic alcohols ( methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol ) are of interest as fuels because they can be synthesized chemically or biologically, and they have characteristics which allow them to be used in internal combustion engines.
The general chemical formula for alcohol fuel is C n H 2n+1 OH, Most methanol is produced from natural gas, although it can be produced from biomass using very similar chemical processes. Ethanol is commonly produced from biological material through fermentation processes. Biobutanol has the advantage in combustion engines in that its energy density is closer to gasoline than the simpler alcohols (while still retaining over 25% higher octane rating); however, biobutanol is currently more difficult to produce than ethanol or methanol.
When obtained from biological materials and/or biological processes, they are known as bioalcohols (e.g. “bioethanol”). There is no chemical difference between biologically produced and chemically produced alcohols. One advantage shared by the four major alcohol fuels is their high octane rating,
What not to use with a generator?
Generator don’ts –
Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet, a practice known as backfeeding, This is extremely dangerous and is an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbours served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices. If you must connect the generator to the house wiring to power appliances, get a licensed electrician to do it in accordance with AS/NZS 3000 Electrical installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules) and Energex or Ergon Energy requirements. Avoid creating a fire hazard. Store fuel for your generator in properly labelled non-glass safety containers. Store out of the home and away from fuel-burning appliances such as natural gas water heater in the garage. Before refuelling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Fuel spilt on hot engine parts could ignite.