Title: Synthetic Methanol as a Sustainable Transport Fuel
1Synthetic Methanol as a Sustainable Transport
Fuel
R.J. Pearson and J.W.G. Turner Lotus
Engineering, UK Gordon Taylor GT Systems
2Motivating Factors Depletion of Resources
- Fossil fuels are a finite resource
- they are renewable but not on a usable human
timescale. - we are using in a few decades a resource which
took millions of years to create. - they are effectively depletables.
- Population and energy consumption per capita are
rising
4 times as many
Only twice as much
Source The Sustainable Mobility Project 2004.
WBCSD
Source The Sustainable Mobility Project 2004.
WBCSD
3Motivating Factors - Depletion of Resources
4Motivating Factors Energy Security
Oil
Gas
Coal
Source www.worldenergy.org
Source Based on data from BP Statistical Review
of Energy 2006
5Motivating Factors Energy Security
6The Price of Oil
7Motivating Factors Climate Change
- Proposal to put a cost on CO2 of 100 per tonne
for all OECD markets by 2015. - Climate change is on the transport agenda now.
- Transport is one of the fastest growing sectors.
- The EU are about to enact fiscal measures which
will be severe at a time when the vehicle
industry is struggling to be profitable. - up to 95x106 per tonne of CO2 by 2015.
- Similar legislation is being considered
world-wide. - Fiscal measures are good instruments to achieve
change but they must be targetted equitably and
effectively
8What are the Options?
- Reduce Energy Consumption
- Reducing CO2 emissions is harder than reducing
primary pollutants (HC,CO,NOx) - Engine / transmission technology (including
hybridisation). - Vehicle technology (low mass, low rolling
resistance/drag). - Changes in vehicle usage patterns, including
adaptive driving. - Use of vehicles optimized for local mobility
not family vacations. - Improvements in efficiency will not off-set
growth in demand. - Change the Fuel
- This is complementary to changes in engine /
transmission technology.
9Changing the Fuel
- The ideal energy carrier should
- be easy to manufacture from abundant resources
- provide high energy density
- be capable of being handled, stored , and
distributed cheaply and safely - be compatible with a wide variety of
applications. - Gasoline and diesel are excellent examples
because of their physical properties.
- Unfortunately their continued use will impact the
climate heavily.
10Hydrogen and Electricity
- The options thought of as providing all or part
of the solution to de-carbonizing transport are - Conversion to a Hydrogen Economy
- Electrification of the vehicle fleet.
- BioFuels
- All truly sustainable options ultimately require
large amounts of renewable upstream energy - and therefore large amounts of investment
- NOW!
11BEVs
- This option would require the smallest investment
in upstream energy - because of the high tank-to-wheel (TTW)
efficiency of electric vehicles. - But
- Current batteries required to give a range which
does not imply dedicated vehicles are very
expensive - 25,000 (40,000)
- This makes BEVs very expensive for mass take up.
- Gravimetric and volumetric energy densities are
very low. - 50 kWh Li-Ion battery may weigh 450 kg and is
very large. - Contains same energy as 5.7 litres of gasoline
which weighs 4.2 kg. - Even with 4-5 times greater TTW efficiency for an
EV this increases the gasoline equivalent mass to
only about 20 kg. - EVs will never re-charge in minutes without
swapping batteries energy flux through a
gasoline nozzle is over 10 MW. - More potential from plug-in hybrids with ICE
range extenders - but Chevy Volt now projected to cost 35,000
(AutoCar 24/09/08)
12Hydrogen?
- Molecular hydrogen proposed as the basis of the
future global energy economy - its combustion generates no CO2 if it is
produced renewably. - It can be burned in internal combustion engines
and gas turbines - - with high thermal efficiency - requires
relatively small engine modifications - also required for fuel cells (seen as long-term
powertrain replacement). - But ...
- Must consider well-to-wheel GHG analysis.
- Needs to be extracted from hydrogenated
compounds - via steam reforming from natural gas - generates
5.5 kg CO2 / kg H2 - water via electrolysis - needs renewable source
of electricity. - If H2 is produced from NG (largest current
source) WTW GHG impact is worse when NG burned in
an IC engine - savings are only possible if used in a fuel cell.
- Incompatibility with gasoline requires two
separate fuel systems on a vehicle during the
transition period - and dual infrastructure.
13Hydrogen?
- Hydrogen is an inconvenient energy storage
medium - The least dense element at NTP methane is 10 x
more dense! - At 700bar energy density gasoline / hydrogen
4.7 - Compression to 800 bar (for 700 bar system)
requires 10 of fuel energy. - Can also store as a liquid in a cryogenic tank
- Stored at -253oC density is still only 70 kg/m3
- Liquefaction requires 25-35 of fuel energy.
- Boil-off losses can be high.
- Fuel tanks are heavy and expensive.
- Cryogenic tank to store lt10kg fuel (energy of
38l gasoline) is 170 kg. - High-pressure tanks and hydride storage systems
similar. - For transport applications on-board reformers
have been considered but have efficiency impact - give no WTW benefit cf. advanced IC engines /
hybrids at high cost. - Distribution losses / energy inputs are high.
14Distribution Losses
- Bossel et al. estimate that over 4 times as many
trucks would be needed to distribute liquid
hydrogen. - This factor rises to 22 for pressurized hydrogen!
Bossel et al. (2003), The Future of the Hydrogen
Economy Bright or Bleak?
15On-board Storage Density
16Fuel System and Powertrain Costs
- Low-temperature fuel cells use a lot of platinum.
- At current use levels only enough for 200,000
vehicles per annum. - 70 million vehicles per annum are produced
worldwide. - Using scarce / expensive materials does not give
volume benefits.
17Infrastructure Costs
- Change to gaseous fuels requires huge
infrastructure changes and costs - distribution, transportation, storage
- Dual infrastructure required during transition
period. - New infrastructure is estimated to be very
expensive (est. 1x1012)
James Woolsey, Chairman of the Advisory Board of
the US Clean Fuels Foundation, 27th November 2007
18Projected Growth in Transport
- The number of vehicles on the road is expected to
increase by a factor of 4 by 2050. - The increase will be driven by increasing
prosperity in the developing world and by the
production of ultra-cheap cars such as the 2500
Tata Nano - These cars will use cheap powertrains and cheap
fuel systems
Tata Nano
19Affordable Vehicles
Low carbon vehicles that are not affordable wont
save any CO2
20Keep IC Engines
- They are cheap to produce and therefore
affordable - are easy to manufacture
- contain few scarce materials
- have low embedded energy cost.
- They are capable of burning a vast array of fuels
from a wide variety of sources with simple
modifications. - so using other fuels wont leave stranded assets
in expensive production facilities. - They have high power densities and considerable
potential for further efficiency improvements - especially using alcohol fuels in down-sized
engines
21High Efficiency on Alcohols
- Due their combustion properties, spark-ignited
alcohols can give higher thermal efficiency than
diesel engines
Brusstar et al., SAE 2002-01-2743
22Comparison of Performance E85 v 95 RON ULG
10-15 improvement in full-load thermal efficiency
30 PCI operation
On E85 this engine gave 197.1 kW (264 bhp) at
8000 rpm (14) and 246 Nm at 5500 rpm (10)
23Operation on Alcohol Green and Mean
Bergstrom et al., Vienna Motor Symposium 2007
Power on E85 10 Torque on E85 15
24Green and Mean Flex-Fuel Lotus Exige 265E
25Keep Liquid Fuels
- They can be provided renewably as CHO liquids,
i.e. carbohydrates - In the form of low carbon number alcohols
(methanol and ethanol) - they are easily produced from a wide variety of
biomass feedstocks - they can be synthesized.
- They are liquids which provide the engine with
cheap fuel systems. - They have high on-board energy densities and are
easily packaged. - In the form of alcohols they are miscible with
gasoline. - The vehicles can be provided by cheap
distribution infrastructure with low energy /
mass losses - can be dispensed with self-service
- essentially similar to what we have now
- enable evolution rather than revolution.
26A Complete Solution
- Carbohydrate liquid fuels and their derivatives
can supply all types of vehicle. - Surface transport using alcohol fuels in SI and
diesel engines - cars / vans trucks / buses
- trains
- Air transport (gas turbines) and long range
surface applications (ships) using FT versions - a further synthesis step can produce synthetic
kerosene or diesel - at a process energy / cost penalty.
- They can be supplied in full amounts beyond
the BioMass Limit.
27Where Do We Get Them From?
- Up to the BioMass Limit (different for each
country) from BioMass - using carbon collected and re-cycled by the
biosphere (plants) - producing ethanol and methanol where properly
sustainable. - Beyond the Biomass Limit via synthesis using
feedstocks from the atmosphere and the ocean - using carbon collected and re-cycled artificially
together with renewable hydrogen - producing sustainable synthetic methanol
CO23H2?CH3OHH2O - this can be thought of as chemically liquefying
hydrogen using CO2 - the pragmatic implementation of the hydrogen
economy.
28Biofuels - GHG Savings
Source Gallagher Review
29Biofuels Carbon Payback Time
Source Gallagher Review
30Biofuels and Land Area
Source Bossel
31Biofuels and Land Area
Percentage of UK arable land needed to supply 5
of transport energy demand (in 2001) on an energy
content basis. Source Royal Society (based on
Woods and Bauen 2003)
32In most countries biofuels cannot guarantee fuel
security - there isnt enough land
Bio-Fuels and Land Area
Source OECD Report AGRICULTURAL MARKET IMPACTS
OF FUTURE GROWTH IN THE PRODUCTION OF
BIOFUELS Working Party on Agricultural Policies
and Markets, AGR/CA/APM(2005)24/FINAL 01-Feb-2006
33Beyond the Biomass Limit Sustainable Methanol
Adapted from Olah et al., The Methanol Economy
34Alcohol Flex-Fuel Vehicles A Mature Technology
- Many forms of internal combustion engine have
been produced which are capable of burning
alcohol fuels since the early 1900s - The Model-T Ford was originally intended to run
on ethanol. - A kit was available to modify it.
- Ethanol was considered as an octane enhancer in
the 1920s. - Methanol was first used as a vehicle fuel in the
1930s. - Motorsport in the US adopted methanol in the
1960s as a safety measure - only recently replaced by ethanol in Indy Car to
mirror automotive. - In the 1980s/1990s 15,000 of methanol/gasoline
Flex-Fuel vehicles were manufactured and used in
trials over a 15 year period in California - supported by an extensive re-fuelling network.
- Hundreds of heavy-duty dedicated methanol
vehicles were in service. - There are 6 million of E85/gasoline Flex-Fuel
vehicles on the road today.
351980s/90s Vehicle Fleets
From Dolan, G., Methanol transportation fuels a
look back and look forward. Int. Symp. On Alcohol
Fuels, San Diego, 2005.
- Automotive M85 FFVs made by GM, Ford, Chrysler,
Mercedes, VW, Saab, Volvo, Toyota, Honda, Mazda,
Mitsubishi, Subaru, Hyundai - 93 MY Taurus sold 2800 units in CA - sold for
345 less than gasoline car. - Incremental costs 150-300 car
- Dedicated Heavy Duty engines running on methanol
made by MAN, Ford, Navistar, Caterpillar,
Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Mitsubishi - In a wide variety of applications.
- Over 100 fuelling stations in CA
36Vehicle Transition
Source Jones, C., SAE BioFuels Symposium, Paris,
July 7-9, 2008.
GM have pledged that half their model range will
be Flex-Fuel capable by 2012.
37Vehicle Transition Tri-Flex-Fuel Vehicle
Development
38Vehicle Transition Tri-Flex-Fuel Vehicle
Development
- Lotus Tri-Flex-Fuel vehicle was developed from an
existing ethanol FFV, the Exige 265E - Small step to Tri-Flex Fuel technology
- Essentially software changes.
- Alcohol sensor was a input to the control system
- it has a different response to methanol and
ethanol - Wide-range lambda sensor used as secondary input
- New algorithms developed to allow operation on
any mixture of gasoline, ethanol and methanol
39Lotus Exige 270E Tri-Flex-Fuel Development CO2
E11/M31
E0/M0
E25/M29
M28
E43/M21
E70
M53
M70
M88
Met primary pollutant targets with minimal
adjustment.
40Fuel Transition - CO2 Capture
- Some form of CO2 capture will be required to
off-set increasing emissions levels especially
with growth of coal usage for power generation. - On-site capture is the most sensible approach for
large concentrated sources of CO2 . - On-board storage is not feasible for dispersed,
mobile sources, such as vehicles - 1 litre (0.75 kg) gasoline gives 2.3 kg CO2 60
litre tank makes 138 kg CO2, or 78 m3 of gas at
NTP - Mass of substrate / absorber would at least
double mass of stored material. - Its happening now
- Statoil sequestration
- Exxon-Mobil enhanced oil recovery.
- But why lock the carbon away when we can use it
as a feedstock?
41CO2 from the Atmosphere Theoretical Energy
Based on Lackner
42Lackner / Zeman Columbia University / GRT
- Mixing times are fast
- weeks to months, homogenising feedstock
distribution. - 60m x 50m collector
- 3 kg CO2 / sec.
- 80,000 tonnes / year
- equivalent to the fossil CO2 produced by 4000
people or 15,000 cars - 250,000 units would process all anthropogenic CO2
emissions
Source Broecker, W.S.,Global warming take
action or wait?. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2006,
vol. 51, no. 9, 1018-1029.
43Upstream Energy Analysis
80 electrolyser effy. 250 kJ/kmol CO2 extraction
HHV WTT46 Using technologies that can be
delivered now.
44Fuel and Vehicle Transitions
45Fuel Transition
46Sustainable Alcohols for Mobility
- A future transport fuel economy based on
synthetic alcohols is a realistic prospect - due to the possibility of a soft-start
afforded by the miscibility of gasoline, ethanol,
and methanol, - and the relatively low cost of vehicles with
compatible fuel systems. - Can be expedited by legislation requiring all
vehicles to by gasoline/ethanol flex-fuel
compliant by 2012 - this will give significant market incentives to
renewable fuels and the development of 2nd
generation biofuels ethanol and methanol. - Methanol usage could be supported by software
changes. - High efficiency alcohol engines using Otto and
Diesel cycles are easily made. - Atmospheric CO2 extraction could lead ramp-up in
renewable power generation. - This allows us to carry on exploiting fossil fuel
resources whilst we develop sustainable energy
sources.
2012 Ethanol/Gasoline Flex-fuel mandatory
2030 Closed-cycle Methanol production
2060 Phase out fossil fuels for transport
2015 Methanol 2nd Generation Ethanol available
47Leveraging the Stakeholder Capital
- Put the burden of producing affordable efficient
vehicles on the vehicle manufacturers. - Put the burden of de-carbonizing transport fuel
on the upstream production and supply companies - this will always be profitable as demand is
ever-present and growing - 2.25 trillion spent on oil world-wide in 2007.
- if the average oil price over 2008 is 100, the
additional annual cost of oil world wide in one
year will be about 0.86 trillion. - Cars are used 5 of their lifetime.
- Customers can defer new vehicle purchase.
- They cannot defer the purchase of the fuel!
48Early Thoughts on Sustainability
A quotation from the first paragraph of a 1907
SAE paper Gasoline is the by-product of a
geographically limited monopolistically
controlled industry, and there are reasons to
believe that the available supply is more than
mortgaged by world-wide and growing
demand White, T.L., Alcohol as a fuel for the
automobile motor. SAE paper number 070002, 1907.
49Time to Re-Think the Treatment
50Thank You for Listening