Alcohols - its use, energy and economics - a Brazilian outlook
A survey is made of the state of the art of the production of ethanol from sugar cane and other crops and the problems and constraints involved on its use as an automotive fuel. The improved efficiency of modified internal combustion engines running on pure alcohol is discussed as well as pollution problems. It is shown that these problems are not aggravated by the use of ethanol. The energy balances for the production of ethanol from sugar cane, cassava, sweet sorghum and wood-taking into account agricultural and industrial energy expenses-are compared in Brazil and in the United States. Costs of ethanol from different crops are evaluated and the conclusion reached that in present Brazilian conditions it is US$12.69/GJ when produced from sugar cane. Gasoline cost in Brazil is US$12.19/GJ ex-refinery. Considering that ethanol when used as an octane booster has an efficiency 25% higher than gasoline, the final conclusion is that ethanol has reached the breakeven point as compared with gasoline in Brazil. (Refs. 83).
- Research Organization:
- Dept. Mechanical and Aerospace Eng., Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ 08544; Institute de Fisica da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, S.P., CP. 20516, Brazil.
- OSTI ID:
- 5429128
- Journal Information:
- Resour Manage. Optim.; (United States), Vol. 1:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BRAZIL
GASOHOL
ETHANOL
PRODUCTION
ETHANOL FUELS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CASSAVA
COST
FUEL ADDITIVES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
NATIONAL PROGRAM PLANS
NET ENERGY
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLLUTION
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SORGHUM
SUGAR CANE
SURVEYS
USA
WOOD
ADDITIVES
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALCOHOLS
CEREALS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENGINES
FUELS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LATIN AMERICA
LIQUID FUELS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SOUTH AMERICA
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TESTING
090222* - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
140504 - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)