Page 216 - Advances in Eco-Fuels for a Sustainable Environment

180 Advances in Eco-Fuels for a Sustainable Environment

digestion of waste sludge, chemical, thermal, mechanical, ultrasound, and ozone pre-
treatment processes have been developed to accelerate the decomposition of the
sludge. However, the current pretreatment usually involves considerable energy con-
sumption and high expenditures, making them less acceptable for practical
application.

6.12.1 Future scope
Methanol is an excellent combustion engine fuel with a high octane rating and clean
burning characteristics. It can be used as a fuel primarily as a mixture of 85% methanol
and 15% hydrocarbons, (M85) or as neat methanol. For these detailed fuel engines,
methanol offers the potential for a significant increase in engine efficiency over that
of gasoline engines; estimates range from 15% to 30% based on the degree of mod-
ification of existing gasoline engines. Emissions are much improved as well. An addi-
tional increase in vehicle energy efficiency can be realized by replacing gasoline
engines with smaller, lightweight, equivalent power engines designed for methanol.
The smaller engines bum less fuel directly and they reduce vehicle weight, thereby
providing additional fuel savings. Methanol can be used as a fuel for fuel cell appli-
cations because it can be stored easily but it can be used for portable power
applications.

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