Transit bus operation with methanol fuel

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5744984

Jackson, M D; Unnasch, S; Sullivan, C; Renner, R A

American and European technology is being used to demonstrate the suitability of neat methanol as a fuel for transit buses. The project is sponsored by the California Energy Commission (CEC), and transit buses are being operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (GGTD). Project management and bus testing are performed by Acurex Corporation. Test data are being obtained on performance, fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, noise levels, and operational suitability. One of the coaches was obtained from General Motors Corporation and the other from M.A.N. in Germany. The GM coach employs a Detroit Diesel Allison 6V-92TA two-stroke-cycle engine, which burns methanol by compression ignition. The M.A.N. engine is a spark-assisted diesel, operating on a four-stroke cycle. Both buses are being tested in parallel with diesel-powered counterparts. In comparing diesel with methanol fuel, road performance is nearly identical for each pair of buses. Fuel consumption is similar on an energy basis. The methanol buses have a cleaner exhaust, with smoke and odor eliminated. Oxides of nitrogen and particulates are also considerably lower with methanol.

• OSTI ID: 5744984
• Report Number(s): TP-850216
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ALCOHOL FUELS
BUSES
CALIFORNIA
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPRESSION
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DIESEL ENGINES
DIESEL FUELS
DISPERSIONS
EMISSION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUIDS
FUEL CONSUMPTION
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
IGNITION
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
METHANOL FUELS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NOISE POLLUTION
NORTH AMERICA
ODOR
OPERATION
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
RESIDUES
ROAD TESTS
SMOKES
SOLS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TESTING
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
USA
VEHICLES
WASTES