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On board dimethyl ether generation to assist methanol engine cold starting

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5845899
Dimethyl ether has high vapor pressure and wide flammability limits, which make it an excellent fuel for cold starting methanol engines. The authors have investigated the catalytic dehydration of methanol to produce dimethyl ether on board methanol-fueled vehicles. They tested four methanol dehydration catalysts in a microcatalytic plug flow reactor and found that a fluorinated /gamma/-alumina was very active and selective for methanol dehydration in the 250-350/sup 0/C (482-662/sup 0/F) temperature range. They also tested the fluorinated /gamma/-alumina catalyst with a 15% gasoline/85% methanol mixture (M85) and found that the catalyst activity decreased in proportion to the gasoline content but that no catalyst deactivation occurred.
OSTI ID:
5845899
Report Number(s):
CONF-8810120-
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English