Ethanol – Things You Should Know

Due to the price of gasoline, world tensions, and environmental issues there has been a lot in the news lately regarding alternative-fuels. One of the more talked about alternative-fuels is ethanol, what follows is a basic fact sheet on this popular biofuel.

• Ethanol is a vegetable oil based fuel as opposed to standard petroleum fuel.

• Pure ethanol is a clear, colorless liquid.

• Ethanol cuts poisonous exhaust emissions when compared to standard fuel.

• Chemically, Ethanol is a kind of alcohol.

• Ethanol melts at -114° C (-173°F) and boils at 78.5°C (173.5°F).

• Simple sugars are the raw materials that make Ethanol.

• Currently, Ethanol is use mainly by large corporations or government branches who can afford to invest in their own fueling stations, although this is changing.

• Nissan, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford among others make cars that run on Ethanol.

• The vegetables most often associated with the manufacture of Ethanol are corn, barley, trees, grasses, and wheat.

• Ethanol is sometimes used in combination with gasoline, the most popular mixture known as E85 which is 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline.

• Despite it’s resurgence in popularity, Ethanol has been looked to as a fuel for decades. In fact, Henry Ford originally planned the Model T to run on alcohol.

• Almost all car manufacturers now approve of the use of ethanol in their warranty information.

• The fermentation and the distilling of crops with high sugar content is the basis for making Ethanol.

• Usually industrial grade Ethanol has been denatured, which means a small percentage of unpleasant chemicals (some poisonous) have been added, so it cannot be consumed by humans as an alcoholic beverage.

• Neither the manufacturing or the burning of ethanol adds to the greenhouse effect.

• Ethanol is 100% biodegradable.

• Ethanol is a very high octane substitute for conventional fuel.

• Ethanol can be manufactured privately on an individual level using a still, although it is a little more complex than the manufacture of Biodiesel.

Ethanol is just one of many cleaner burning, sometimes cheaper, better for the world alternative fuels. With the proper research and development, a world that depends less on oil and oil producing countries is a reality.

Mark Allen is a strong supporter of the continued serch for a viable alternative-fuel. More information at http://www.biodieselplans.info

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What is Biofuel?

What is Biofuel? (also called agrofue) It can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from biomass. The definition used here is narrower: biofuel is defined as liquid or gas transportation fuel derived from biomass. Biomass can also be used directly for heating or power: this is commonly called biomass fuel: see biomass heating systems. Biofuel is considered a means of reducing[2] greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to fossil fuels.

That is why biofuels are used globally: biofuel industries are expanding in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The most common use for biofuels is in automotive transport (for example E10 fuel). Biofuel can be produced from any carbon source that can be replenished rapidly e.g. plants. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture.

Humans have used biomass fuels for heating and cooking since the discovery of fire. Following the discovery of electricity, it became possible to use biofuels to generate electrical power as well. However, the discovery and use of fossil fuels: coal, gas and oil, have dramatically reduced the amount of biomass fuel used in the developed world for transport, heat and power.

Liquid biofuels have been used since the early days of the car industry. Nikolaus August Otto, the German inventor of the internal combustion engine, conceived his invention to run on ethanol. Rudolf Diesel, the German inventor of the Diesel engine, designed it to run on peanut oil. Henry Ford originally designed the Ford Model T, a car produced from 1903 to 1926, to run completely on ethanol. However, when crude oil became cheaply available (thanks to oil reserves discovered in Pennsylvania and Texas), cars began using fuels derived from mineral oil: petroleum or diesel.

Chuck is a college student and is studying biology. He is studying addition methods of new alternatives in energy and you will read some of his articles and research in these areas. To find out more about biofuels go to http://new-biofuel.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chuck_R_Mitchell

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