Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technology

AUTO 4311

Chapter 2
Need for alternative
fuel

By Elias H.
1
March, 2023
Outline
▪ Alternative fuels
▪ Alcohol
▪ Natural gas
▪ Propane (LPG)
▪ Biomass fuel
▪ Hydrogen
▪ Biodiesel
▪ Electricity

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Objectives
▪ After studying this unit, you should be able to
▪ Understand the alternative renewable fuel sources
▪ Understand the different types of alternative fuels available today
▪ Know the chemical properties of alternative fuels
▪ Advantages and disadvantages of alternative fuels

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Introduction
▪ The increase in energy consumption particularly in the past several decades has raised
fears of exhausting vital natural resources.
▪ Rapid industrialization and massive growth in population have increased the dependence
on and use of natural fuels.
▪ Currently, fossil fuels meet approximately 90% of our energy requirements.
▪ Studies suggest that if exploited at the same rate, the coal reserves will deplete in the
next 200-300 years and petroleum deposits will deplete in the next few decades.
▪ So, it is important for us to research and develop alternative fuels so we may not face
scarcity of natural resources in the future.

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Need for Alternate Fuel
▪ Alternative fuels are any fuel source that is not derived from fossil fuels.
▪ This includes renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric,
and non-renewable sources such as hydrogen, biodiesel, and natural gas.

1. Diminishing Reserves of Conventional Fuels

2. To reduce environmental pollution
3. To protect against Global Warming
4. To reduce import costs and improve nations' economy
5. Meeting the current global energy demand

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Need for Alternate Fuel cont.
▪ 1. Diminishing Reserves of Conventional Fuels
▪ The traditional fuels including petroleum would be depleted after some time.
▪ Because they are not renewable
▪ 2. To reduce environmental pollution
▪ The use of alternative fuels considerably decreases harmful exhaust emissions
▪ Such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide as well as
ozone-producing emissions.

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Need for Alternate Fuel cont.
▪ 3. To protect against Global Warming
▪ According to a commonly accepted scientific theory, burning fossil fuels was causing
temperatures to rise in the earth's atmosphere (global warming).
▪ Discovering sources of cleaner burning fuel is an essential step towards enhancing the
quality of our environment.

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Need for Alternate Fuel cont.
▪ 4. To reduce import costs and improve nations’ economy
▪ The majority of oil fields are located in the Middle East and a majority of OPEC countries
are associated with problems — both political and economic.
▪ So, the production rate is uncertain and may/may not meet the demand. This causes a
rise in price abruptly.
▪ On the other hand, the feedstock for alternative fuels is renewable and can be produced
locally with fewer expenses. This in turn means saving money in the longer term.

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is an intergovernmental oil demand-supply market.
Who are the 13 countries in OPEC?
Current OPEC members are Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the
Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

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Need for Alternate Fuel (cont..)
▪ 5. Meeting the current global energy demand
▪ Every day increasing demand for energy has created a large gap between demand and
supply.

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Properties of Alternative Fuels
▪ Key properties for alternative fuels to be considered :
▪ Combustion and Performance:
▪ Heat of combustion, the heat content of the stoichiometric mixture, octane number (SI
engine), cetane number (CI engine), boiling point ( esp., cold start), flammability limits
▪ Emissions:
▪ Chemical composition and nature, adiabatic flame temperature
▪ Storage and Handling:
▪ Boiling point, volumetric energy density, vapor pressure, and flammability limits

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Properties of Alternative Fuels (cont..)
Octane and
Cetane
number

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Properties of Alternative Fuels (cont..)
▪ Volatility:
▪ Volatility is one of the main characteristic properties of petrol/gasoline which determines
its suitability for use in an SI engine.
▪ The usual practice of measuring fuel volatility is the distillation of the fuel in a special
device at atmospheric pressure and in the presence of its own vapor.
▪ Starting and Warm-up:
▪ A certain part of the gasoline should be vaporized at room temperature for easy starting
of the engine.
▪ As the engine warms up, the temperature will gradually increase to the operating
temperature.

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Properties of Alternative Fuels (cont..)
▪ Antiknock Quality:
▪ Abnormal burning or detonation in an SI engine combustion chamber causes a very high
rate of energy release, and excessive temperature and pressure inside the cylinder
adversely affect its thermal efficiency.
▪ Therefore, the characteristics of the fuel used should be such that it resists the tendency
to produce detonation and this property is called its antiknock property.
▪ Gum Deposits:
▪ Reactive hydrocarbons and impurities in the fuel have a tendency to oxidize upon storage
and form liquid and solid gummy substances.
▪ A gasoline with high gum content will cause operating difficulties such as sticking valves
and piston rings carbon deposits in the engine, gum deposits in the manifold, clogging of
carburetor jets, and enlarging of the valve stems, cylinders, and pistons.

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Properties of Alternative Fuels (cont..)
▪ Sulphur Content:
▪ Hydrocarbon fuels may contain free Sulphur, hydrogen Sulphide, and other Sulphur
compounds which are objectionable for several reasons.
▪ The Sulphur is a corrosive element of the fuel that can corrode fuel lines, carburetors,
and injection pumps and it will unite with oxygen to form sulphur dioxide that, in the
presence of water at low temperatures, may form sulphuric acid.
▪ The presence of sulphur can reduce the self-ignition temperature, then promoting knock
in the SI engine
▪ Viscosity:
▪ CI engine fuels should be able to flow through the fuel system and the strainers under the
lowest operating temperatures to which the engine is subjected,
▪ SI Engine: Higher Octane number is required (above 86-94)
▪ CI Engine: Above 45 Cetane number is preferred
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Properties of Alternative Fuels

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Table. Fuel properties comparison of alternative fuels
Common Alternative Fuels

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Alternative Fuels alcohol
▪ Alcohol alternative fuels are fuels that are derived from renewable sources and can be
used as a substitute for gasoline or diesel.
▪ These fuels are typically made from plant-based materials such as corn, sugarcane, and
other agricultural products. They are also known as biofuels.
▪ Alcohol alternative fuels are typically blended with gasoline or diesel to create a fuel that
is more efficient and less polluting than traditional petroleum-based fuels.
▪ Alcohol alternative fuels are becoming increasingly popular as a way to reduce emissions
and improve fuel efficiency.

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Ethanol)
▪ Ethanol is produced almost entirely from renewable agriculture sources by fermentation
of sugar, grains, tapioca, molasses, and
▪ Distilling crops such as corn, barley, starch crops, or cellulose that have been converted
into simple sugars
▪ It can be blended with gasoline to increase octane levels and improve emissions quality.
▪ Positive: Materials are renewable.
▪ Negative: Ethanol subsidies have a negative impact on food prices and availability.

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Ethanol)
▪ Ethanol Properties
▪ Most commonly used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline.
▪ It can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
▪ It can degrade quickly in water, therefore, posing less environmental harm than oil in the
case of a spill Ethanol
▪ It is an excellent, clean-burning fuel, potentially providing more horsepower than
gasoline.
▪ In fact, ethanol has a higher octane rating (over 100) and burns cooler than gasoline
▪ It also has a higher flash point, meaning it is less flammable and safer to handle.

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Ethanol)
▪ Ethanol Uses
▪ Mostly used in light-duty vehicles called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).
▪ FFVs can use 100% unleaded fuel or any mixture of E85 and unleaded fuel.
▪ Ethanol Considerations
▪ Decreased mileage.
▪ High level of fuel pricing volatility until demand and supply balance.
▪ Refueling infrastructure not in place in all areas
▪ Ongoing debate: energy balance, land mass, food vs. fuel, and water required.

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Ethanol)
Energy balance of ethanol

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Methanol)
▪ Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can be produced by processing biomass such as
grass clippings, sawdust, and other cellulose sources.
▪ Can be used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85
▪ The benefits include lower emissions, higher performance, and lower risk of flammability
than gasoline.
▪ Methanol can easily be made into hydrogen for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the future.

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Alternative Fuels Alcohol fuels (Methanol)
▪ Methanol Properties
▪ Methanol has a higher octane rating than gasoline, which means it can produce more
power and is less likely to cause engine knock.
▪ It also has a higher energy density than ethanol, meaning it can store more energy in a
given volume.
▪ However, methanol is more corrosive than gasoline and can damage fuel lines and other
engine components.
▪ It also has a lower flash point, meaning it is more flammable and can be more dangerous
to handle.

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Key features of alcohols as motor fuel
▪ Key features of alcohol as motor fuel are:
▪ Alcohols are a preferred alternative for SI engines only due to their high octane number.
▪ A higher engine compression ratio could be used to obtain a higher engine thermal
efficiency.
▪ Cetane’s number of methanol and ethanol is close to 5 and 8, respectively.
▪ Direct injection alcohol engine prototypes operating similar to diesel/CI engines have also
been developed using either a positive source of ignition or a high dosage of ignition
quality improvers (3 to 7% by volume).
▪ Alcohols are not easily miscible (homogeneous mixture) in diesel fuels.
▪ To prepare alcohol-diesel blends high amounts of emulsifiers or solubilizers are required.

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Key features of alcohols as motor fuel
▪ Heating value of ethanol is approximately 60 percent and that of methanol is only 45 % of
gasoline.
▪ The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio due to the presence of oxygen in the molecule is much
lower than gasoline.
▪ The volumetric energy content of the stoichiometric mixture (gaseous state) of alcohols
and gasoline, however, is not very different.
▪ Thus, engine-specific power output that may be obtained with alcohol and gasoline is
nearly the same.

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Key features of alcohols as motor fuel
▪ The latent heat of vaporization of methanol and ethanol is nearly 4 and 2.7 times,
respectively compared to gasoline.
▪ Cold starting performance With neat alcohol is, therefore, poor compared to gasoline.
▪ Flames of neat alcohol in the air are not easily visible to the naked eye.
▪ Hence, 15% gasoline is mixed with alcohol for making the flame visible in case of an
accidental fire.

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Alternative Fuels (Natural Gas)
▪ Natural gas is produced either from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production
▪ Because of the gaseous nature of this fuel, it must be stored onboard a vehicle in either a
compressed gaseous state or in a liquefied state
▪ A natural gas vehicle can be less expensive to operate than a comparable conventionally
fueled vehicle depending on natural gas prices.

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Alternative Fuels (Natural Gas)
▪ Natural Gas Properties
▪ Recovered from underground reserves.
▪ Used in two forms:
▪ CNG (compressed natural gas) and LNG (liquefied natural gas).
▪ CNG and LNG vehicles can demonstrate reduced ozone-forming emissions compared to
gasoline. May have increased hydrocarbon emissions.
▪ Contains 59% - 69% less energy content per gallon at 3000 - 3600 psig than gasoline.
▪ CNG used in light- and medium-duty vehicles.
▪ LNG is used in heavy-duty trucks and all-natural gas-fueled locomotives.

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Alternative Fuels (Natural Gas)

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Alternative Fuels (LPG)
▪ Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a popular alternative fuel choice for vehicles
because there is already an infrastructure of pipelines, processing facilities, and storage
for its efficient distribution.
▪ LPG produces fewer vehicle emissions than gasoline.
▪ It is produced as a by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining.
▪ Propane vehicles can produce fewer ozone-forming emissions than vehicles powered by
reformulated gasoline

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Alternative Fuels (LPG)
▪ The cost of a gasoline-gallon equivalent of propane is generally less than that of gasoline,
so driving a propane vehicle can save money.
▪ Better cold start and warm-up characteristics due to its gaseous state compared to
gasoline hence lower HC emissions.
▪ used in light- and medium-duty vehicles, heavy-duty trucks and buses.

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Alternative Fuels (Biodiesel)
▪ It domestically produced, renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils,
animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases.
▪ It can be used in any diesel engine, and it can be blended with traditional diesel fuel to
create a fuel that is more efficient and environmentally friendly. create a biodiesel blend.
▪ It is safe, biodegradable, and reduces serious air pollutants such as particulates, carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, and air toxics.
▪ Biodiesel can also be used in its pure form but it may require certain engine modifications
to avoid maintenance and performance problems and may not be suitable for wintertime
use.
▪ It is also more cost-effective than traditional diesel fuel, making it an attractive option for
those looking to reduce their fuel costs.

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Alternative Fuels (Biodiesel)
▪ Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification
▪ The process leaves behind two products — methyl esters (the chemical name for
biodiesel) and glycerin, a valuable byproduct used in soaps and other products.
▪ Need to heat storage tanks in colder climates to prevent the fuel from gelling

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Alternative Fuels (Biodiesel)
▪ PROPERTIES OF VEGETABLE OILS
▪ Slightly higher density
▪ Slightly lower (10%) calorific value on a mass basis
▪ Higher viscosity at room temperature
▪ Slightly lower cetane number
▪ Low volatility
▪ Low sulphur content

▪ Why vegetable oils in a diesel engine?

▪ Have high thermal efficiency
▪ Can burn low-cetane value fuels
▪ Very long service life 36
Various Vegetable Oils
▪ Soybean Oil
▪ Sunflower Oil
▪ Peanut Oil
▪ Cottonseed Oil
▪ Corn Oil
▪ Palm Oil
▪ Caster Oil

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Alternative Fuels (Biomass fuel)
▪ Biomass fuel, also known as biofuel or biogas, is a renewable energy source that can be
used as an alternative to fossil fuels.
▪ It is derived from organic materials such as plants, animals, and their by-products.
▪ It can be used to generate electricity, heat, and transportation fuels.
▪ Its fuel is considered to be a clean energy source because it produces fewer emissions
than fossil fuels. Additionally, it is renewable and can be produced sustainably.
▪ It is the fuel that can be used to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity. It is
also used in industrial processes and to produce bio-based products.
▪ It is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to fossil fuels due to its
environmental benefits and potential for cost savings.

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Alternative Fuels (Biomass fuel)

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Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen)
▪ It is a promising alternative fuel that has the potential to reduce emissions and improve
air quality.
▪ Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity, which can then be used to
power vehicles.
▪ Hydrogen fuel cells are more efficient than traditional combustion engines, and they
produce no emissions other than water vapor.
▪ Hydrogen can also be used in internal combustion engines, and it can be blended with
gasoline to reduce emissions.
▪ Hydrogen is a clean, renewable energy source that can help reduce our dependence on
fossil fuels.

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Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen)
▪ Properties
▪ Easy to convert the existing engine to work with H2.
▪ Has excellent properties as an Sl engine fuel.
▪ Wide flammability limits of H2, make the engine work without throttle, Thus reducing
pumping losses, hence causing an increase in thermal efficiency.
▪ High burning velocity leads to almost constant volume combustion.
▪ High self-ignition temperature, thus allowing to work with a high compression ratio. i.e.
increase in thermal efficiency.
▪ H2 is a clean burning fuel, steam is the only product of combustion.

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Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen)
▪ Uses
▪ Emerging fuel for transportation fuel cells.
▪ Used in a modified internal combustion engine. Has excellent properties as an Sl engine
fuel.
▪ Fuel cells use a direct electrochemical reaction to produce electricity on board the
vehicle. This electricity is used to power electric motors.

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Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen)

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Alternative Fuels (Hydrogen)

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Alternative Fuels (Electricity)
▪ Electricity can be used as a transportation fuel to power battery electric and fuel cell
vehicles.
▪ When used to power electric vehicles, electricity is stored in an energy storage device
such as a battery.
▪ EV batteries have a limited storage capacity and their electricity must be replenished by
plugging the vehicle into an electrical source.
▪ EVs have lower "fuel" and maintenance costs than gasoline-powered vehicles.
▪ Vehicles that operate only on electricity require no warmup, run almost silently, and have
excellent performance up to the limit of their range.
▪ Also, electric cars are cheap to "refuel." At the average price of 10 cents per kWh, it costs
around 2 cents per mile.

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Alternative Fuels (Electricity)
▪ Electricity Properties
▪ It is an increasingly popular alternative fuel for motor vehicles.
▪ It is a clean, renewable energy source
▪ Recharges batteries in electric vehicles.
▪ Electricity sources for battery recharging (electrical outlet, gasoline engine on-board
vehicle, regenerative braking),
▪ Electricity sources for power outlets (coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, other renewables).
▪ low emissions, low operating costs
▪ Often quieter than their gasoline-powered counterparts, making them a great choice for
those who live in urban areas.

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Alternative Fuels (Electricity)
▪ Electricity Uses
▪ Two categories include EVs or plug-ins (externally charged) and HEVs or hybrid vehicles
(self-charged). Both use battery storage.
▪ Hybrids use an electric motor or a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor
to drive the wheels.
▪ Hybrids use batteries to store electricity produced by regenerative braking and the
onboard generator
▪ Electricity Considerations
▪ Fuel savings (10% • 100% depending on application and vehicle)
▪ Payback on investment.
▪ Possible federal and state tax credits for the purchase of hybrid
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Alternative Fuels (Electricity)

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Reasons to use alternative fuels
▪ 1. Reduce Pollution: Alternative fuels produce fewer emissions than traditional fossil
fuels, helping to reduce air pollution and its associated health risks.
▪ 2. Cost Savings: Alternative fuels are often cheaper than traditional fossil fuels, providing
cost savings for consumers.
▪ 3. Energy Security: Alternative fuels can reduce dependence on foreign oil, providing
greater energy security.
▪ 4. Job Creation: The development and use of alternative fuels can create new jobs in the
energy sector.
▪ 5. Climate Change: Alternative fuels can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping
to mitigate the effects of climate change.

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Alternative Fuels
TA circled in red the fuel types that seem to be winning the race toward the future of trucking

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Why alternative fuels (electric Mobility)? - Climate Change
Thank you!