Showing posts with label Natural gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natural gas. Show all posts

A Look At Some Of The More Promising Alternative Fuels

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With so many countries cutting back on energy use, there are many governments looking for alternative sources of fuel, especially with the rapidly climbing gas prices. The US is working harder than ever to get other sources of power onto the market. Experts say that not only are gas (octane) fuels pollutant, but the supplies buried beneath the earth are dwindling quickly. Now, with the anxiousness of a fuel crunch looming over our heads, America is finally stepping up and trying to find some other way to fuel our mechanical marvels. Here are the top candidates for alternative fuel king.

Bio diesel is the result of the European effort to remove a considerable amount of the polluting attributes of diesel fuel. This has created a 60% reduction in hydrocarbons, a 40% reduction of carbon monoxide, and a 40% reduction in particulates. Bio carbon is produced from raw materials called feedstock. This material absorbs carbon monoxide in an amount equal to the amount the car using the fuel emits. With this new diesel fuel, diesel engines are working at 50% higher fuel efficiency than normal gas powered engines

Ethanol is, by far, the most popular of the alternative fuels. Ethanol has a very down home farm essence to it as it is made from starch producing plants like corn. Yes, corn is the fuel of the future, although some producers prefer sugar to corn in the ethanol making process. Today, most of the information you hear about ethanol is the E85 mixture, which is a mixture of 85% ethanol, and 15% gas. This alternative fuel can only be used in vehicles especially designed for them as well as vehicles that are 22 E85 compatible. Using ethanol can reduce smog production up to 50%, gas can't say that much. Unfortunately, despite E85's smog emission reduction it is still contributing to ozone depletion, although many experts disagree, and still others have no idea how it happens in the first place.

CNG, or Compressed Natural Gas, is another of the top candidates for the king of alternative fuels. In comparison to gas, CNG comes from domestic, not Middle Eastern Reserves, burns cleaner, and is cheaper. Unfortunately, vehicles that run on CNG require some changes which include: storing natural gas in pressurized tanks, burning the CNG with a modified combustion engine, and it is more economical than gas burning engines. Although, CNG cars emit fewer smog emissions than Hybrid cars, they release more greenhouse gases than Hybrid cars as well.

Besides these top 3 candidates for alternative fuel king, there are other less developed methods. There is liquid coal, which will be too costly to use. There is hydrogen fuel, which will also be costly, because hydrogen isn't naturally found. Fuel cell technology, which sounds a lot like Star Trek, is light years away from being developed. As of now, the hybrid vehicle is probably your best bet as far as fuel efficiency, and fuel alternative. Unfortunately, it doesn't cure us of our dependency on gas. The king of alternative fuel may soon be crowned, but that soon is far away.

Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as a paint protection at www.carcarewizards.com


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A Look At Some Of The More Promising Alternative Fuels

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With so many countries cutting back on energy use, there are many governments looking for alternative sources of fuel, especially with the rapidly climbing gas prices. The US is working harder than ever to get other sources of power onto the market. Experts say that not only are gas (octane) fuels pollutant, but the supplies buried beneath the earth are dwindling quickly. Now, with the anxiousness of a fuel crunch looming over our heads, America is finally stepping up and trying to find some other way to fuel our mechanical marvels. Here are the top candidates for alternative fuel king.

Bio diesel is the result of the European effort to remove a considerable amount of the polluting attributes of diesel fuel. This has created a 60% reduction in hydrocarbons, a 40% reduction of carbon monoxide, and a 40% reduction in particulates. Bio carbon is produced from raw materials called feedstock. This material absorbs carbon monoxide in an amount equal to the amount the car using the fuel emits. With this new diesel fuel, diesel engines are working at 50% higher fuel efficiency than normal gas powered engines

Ethanol is, by far, the most popular of the alternative fuels. Ethanol has a very down home farm essence to it as it is made from starch producing plants like corn. Yes, corn is the fuel of the future, although some producers prefer sugar to corn in the ethanol making process. Today, most of the information you hear about ethanol is the E85 mixture, which is a mixture of 85% ethanol, and 15% gas. This alternative fuel can only be used in vehicles especially designed for them as well as vehicles that are 22 E85 compatible. Using ethanol can reduce smog production up to 50%, gas can't say that much. Unfortunately, despite E85's smog emission reduction it is still contributing to ozone depletion, although many experts disagree, and still others have no idea how it happens in the first place.

CNG, or Compressed Natural Gas, is another of the top candidates for the king of alternative fuels. In comparison to gas, CNG comes from domestic, not Middle Eastern Reserves, burns cleaner, and is cheaper. Unfortunately, vehicles that run on CNG require some changes which include: storing natural gas in pressurized tanks, burning the CNG with a modified combustion engine, and it is more economical than gas burning engines. Although, CNG cars emit fewer smog emissions than Hybrid cars, they release more greenhouse gases than Hybrid cars as well.

Besides these top 3 candidates for alternative fuel king, there are other less developed methods. There is liquid coal, which will be too costly to use. There is hydrogen fuel, which will also be costly, because hydrogen isn't naturally found. Fuel cell technology, which sounds a lot like Star Trek, is light years away from being developed. As of now, the hybrid vehicle is probably your best bet as far as fuel efficiency, and fuel alternative. Unfortunately, it doesn't cure us of our dependency on gas. The king of alternative fuel may soon be crowned, but that soon is far away.

Source: Free Articles

About the Author

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as well as paint protection at http://www.carcarewizards.com

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Hydrogen Fuel for Cars – Using Byproducts

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How many countries are now considering having a so-called hydrogen economy? People are aware that there is a great need to find a stable new source of energy which is at the same time, environment friendly. Hydrogen can, in fact, fuel homes and cars. However, producing usable hydrogen is a problem.

Most of the hydrogen found in the Earth’s atmosphere is not in usable form. Among the methods used to produce usable hydrogen available today are water electrolysis and natural gas steam reforming.

The two methods are not enough to supply many homes and cars with the needed alternative fuel. Scientists and researchers should be able to come up with new and improved methods to meet the growing demand for hydrogen fuel in the coming years. Currently, there are hydrogen renewable sources like ethanol, biomass, tidal energy, wind farms, solar, and hydroelectric energy. Gravitational energy is also an experimental resource at the moment.

Scientists and researchers at this time are looking into the possibility of capturing hydrogen byproducts. Some processes give off hydrogen as a byproduct as this is one way to obtain it. Today’s technology is also making use of clean coal to produce electricity. The process gives off hydrogen and so it will be captured and sold to hydrogen facilities as a commodity. There will be fewer noxious fume emissions.

The byproduct in the production of sodium chlorate is also hydrogen. Bleaches and pesticides need sodium chlorate and this would mean a great amount hydrogen byproducts. Canada is currently using hydrogen technology and the hydrogen byproducts found in the country are enough to power 20,000 vehicles for a year. The Olympics on 2010 will be held in Canada and the country’s hydrogen technology will be featured there.

Certain laboratories and US departments are conducting continuous studies regarding the use of steam from nuclear reactors to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. The steam will be used to cool the reactor and then perform electrolysis.

The move to hydrogen technology is not really that bad a problem. What the world has now can be modified and simply upgraded to meet the demands for hydrogen in the coming years. Perhaps with continuous research and studies, a better way of producing hydrogen can be discovered. With the joint efforts of various governments and institutions, hydrogen economies can be established. Everyone will benefit from hydrogen technology and not only that, it can also help in answering the environmental problems faced by the world today.

If you want to help your country and the whole world, why not consider the use of an alternative fuel like hydrogen? Your car can be converted to use hydrogen fuel. Experience the different feel of driving your hydrogen powered car. You will surely like it because you can cut down your gasoline expenses.

This way, you can save the money to buy a genuine hydrogen powered car in the future. So what are you waiting for? Have your car converted and make use of hydrogen technology. Save the planet and save your pocket.

Good luck to the scientists and researchers who are studying the hydrogen byproducts. Hopefully, new methods of producing hydrogen will be developed. This will mean a stable source of hydrogen that can be used to fuel cars and even homes.

For the good of the many and the planet, hydrogen fuel is needed.
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Using the Term Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car

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Perhaps you’ve already heard about fuel cells or even about hydrogen fuel cell car. Yet, only a few knows how it works and why it is very important in the coming years. Global warming poses a great threat to the Earth and one way to address such problem is to look for an alternative source of energy.

Great attention is now focused in the production of fuel cells for automobiles. In fact, car manufacturers are designing sophisticated cars that make use of the hydrogen technology. A good thing about using hydrogen fuel cells is that the byproduct is not harmful to the environment. By using the fuel cells, oxygen is eliminated which is also needed by humans.

Experts compare fuel cells with batteries but there is a great difference. The fact is batteries go down but the fuel cells don’t. The fuel cells are able to produce the needed car energy through a process called electrolysis. You can find 2 electrodes and 1 electrolyte in a fuel cell. The oxygen and hydrogen will be separated and after the whole process, heat and water will be produced.

The hydrogen molecules will go to the anode and the oxygen molecules to the cathode. The fuel cell can use the hydrogen from methanol, gasoline, and natural gas. If you try to compare a hydrogen fuel cell car with an ordinary car, the emissions are lesser. This is because the process is based entirely on chemistry and not combustion. In the coming years, cars will be a lot cleaner and so will the air.

The power of the car will come from the electricity produced by hydrogen. Currently, the production of fuel cells is unstable because of vibration issues. Scientists are still conducting further studies to create more stable fuel cells for your car. There are times when you encounter a bumpy road and you will surely need a stable hydrogen fuel cell to function at its best.

Pollution is another great problem and countries from all over the world are trying to address it for many years now. Despite the measures to control pollution, there seems to be no effect at all. But with the new hydrogen fuel cell cars, pollution can be greatly reduced. In short, the cars of the future will be environment friendly.

Another problem faced by many countries is the huge dependence on oil imports. Petroleum has a high demand in the market today but if the hydrogen fuel cell car can be realized the soonest, the demand oil imports will decrease.

Hydrogen cars are still not fully developed and continuous studies are still being conducted. It might still take a couple of years and while people are waiting for these environment-friendly cars, it wouldn’t hurt to do some searches online. This way, you can familiarize yourself with the process involved in the fuel cells. You will be amazed at how much money you can save by simply using water for your car.

In the years to come, you will often hear people using the term ‘hydrogen fuel cell car’. It can even be called the car of the future. Today, some people might still be amazed at the designs of the cars posted on the net.

If you’ve seen science fiction movies, the cars featured there are similar to the hydrogen fuel cell car. Be prepared for the next generation cars and get to used to using such term.
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