US army methanol-fueled administrative vehicle demonstration program. Final report, March 1986-August 1989

Technical Report · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:7159229

Baber, B B; Lestz, S J; LePera, M E

A methanol-fueled fleet test demonstration program was conducted using administrative-type vehicles to determine the feasibility of using methanol as an alternative fuel. Over 1,026,000 miles were accumulated using 64 administrative-type vehicles. Approximately 750,000 of these miles were accumulated using M85 methanol fuel. Existing engines engineered for use with gasoline and special methanol engines engineered for use with M85 methanol fuel were included in the program. Fuel economy, in miles per gallon, obtained for vehicles using M85 fuel is shown to be approximately one-half that obtained using regular unleaded gasoline. When the costs of M85 fuel and unleaded gasoline are included in economic calculations, it is shown that using M85 increases the fuel cost by a factor of approximately 3.0. No catastrophic engine failure occurred using either fuel. Even though wear rates, indicated from used oil sample analyses, obtained when using M85 fuel appear to be 2 to 4 times those obtained using unleaded gasoline, actual wear, from inspections and measurements, does not appear to be as severe. No significant increase in individual vehicle maintenance, other than increased oil drains, was noted for the methanol vehicles. M85 refueling stations were set up at four fleet test sites, and no significant operational problem, safety or otherwise, was encountered during the program.

• Research Organization: Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA). Belvoir Fuels and Lubricants Research Facility
• OSTI ID: 7159229
• Report Number(s): AD-A-216013/3/XAB; BFLRF--233
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330800* -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
ALCOHOLS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECONOMICS
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENGINES
FUEL CONSUMPTION
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GASOLINE
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LIQUID FUELS
MAINTENANCE
METHANOL
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PROGRESS REPORT
VEHICLES