Developed by Standard Alcohol Company of America, Inc., ENVIROLENE® is a patented higher mixed alcohol fuel formula encompassing 8 or 10 alcohols: C1 methanol, C2 ethanol, C3 n-propanol, C4 n-butanol, C5 n-pentanol, C6 n-hexanol, C7 n-heptanol, C8 n-octanol, C9 n-nananol and C10 n-decanol (n=normal, straight chained molecule).
This powerful blend of alcohols comes from a catalytic-addition process where C1 methanol is combined with itself to grow into a C2 synthetic ethanol molecule, which is identical to beverage ethanol or corn ethanol.
Next, this catalytic addition continues where another C1 methanol is added to the C2 ethanol and grows into a (n) normal C3 propanol. This process continues to build C4 butanol and all the way up the chain of ‘higher alcohols’ to ultimately grow into a C10 decanol molecule which contains 5x the carbon content of C2 ethanol.
The result: ENVIROLENE is the world’s strongest alcohol fuel, with a remarkable 138 octane rating, and EPA registered for blending and use in gasoline and diesel engines in all 50 states.
Thermal Synthesis versus Ethanol Batch Fermentation
Most ethanol is produced via four-day batch fermentation converting carbon atoms in corn starch via acidic enzymes and yeasts while offgassing CO2 beer fizz – then cleaning and sterilizing the tanks before beginning a new batch.
By contrast, our GTL (gas-to-liquids) fuel synthesis process is 24×7 and continuous. Any carbon feedstock can be utilized, such as trash, tires, biomass, garbage, sewer sludge, as well as coal, methane natural gas and/or CO2 greenhouse gas. This GTL process is initiated by either steam reforming methane or by cleanly gasifying solids like garbage, sludge, biomass or tires. An intermediate CO & H2 synthesis gas (syngas) is produced which is then re-arranged via catalysis to generate C1 methanol which is then converted into a finished fuel blend containing synthetic ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, etc.
These longer-chained, simple fuel alcohols provide more octane and more BTU’s of combustion energy when compared to either C1 methanol or C2 ethanol. There are several more synergies which present themselves when multiple (yet simple) fuel alcohols are utilized in a synthetically produced blend as:
- A neat or substitute fuel for Flex-Fuel vehicles or
- when this formula is added to gasoline or diesel or
- when this formula is used to clean and beneficiate power plant coal before combustion.
The goal is to make more hydrocarbon fuels (refined petroleum or coal) completely combust. This is what provides:
1) more engine torque and power,
2) better fuel economy, and,
3) a drastic reduction in exhaust and smokestack emissions.
ENVIROLENE was accepted by the EPA for registration and commercialization on September 20th, 2001. The EPA approved ENVIROLENE for 10.25% volume blends to every gallon of American gasoline. It can also be sold “neat” in a retail fuel pump allowing individual motorists and fleets who wish to utilize it at higher concentrations. Extensive combustion tests since 1995 indicate that a 35% volume blend of ENVIROLENE seems to perform best in gasoline engines where only 5% or 6% volumes of ENVIROLENE performs well with street diesel.
For more information, visit the Standard Alcohol Company of America web site.
One notes that the alcohols produced by the Envirolene process, are normal or straight-chain. Would it be possible to isomerize the butanol and pentanol part of the mixture, to isobutanol and isopentanol? Seems to me that branched-chain alcohols would have better antiknock rating than those based on straight carbon chains. I believe a properly tailored mixture (i.e. the right percentages) of methanol, ethanol, propanol and isobutanol and perhaps higher iso-alcohols, would be just what we are looking for in that said mixture would provide an adequate combination of antiknock rating and energy content.
Aircraft piston engines (i.e. like those used in the Beechcraft Bonanza and twin-engine Baron, and the sleek, fast Mooney single engine piston retractable landing gear planes) require 100 octane. Unfortunately it is very difficult (read: expensive) to get this antiknock rating without the least amount of tetraethyl lead. It would be of interest to test a mixture of alcohols in a 540 cubic inch aircraft piston engine, to see how well it performs.
As boaters are learning, gums and varnish buildups in their fuel tanks and delivery/injector systems are residues of petroleum oils. And these residues typically become more dense in marine environments.
Any alcohol which works to improve the combustion efficiencies of refined oil products will also work as a polar solvent, blending fully into oils or coals to beneficiate them and improve combustion efficiencies. This same solvency cleaning action can plug fuel filters in the worst cases where so much decarbonization of fuel storage tanks is taking place.
The flip side is that the same cleaning action happening in fuel tanks and lines is also taking place inside the engine, turbine or boiler, which makes things run more efficiently and increases performance.
I’ve been advised by Standard Alcohol that a marine variety of ENVIROLENE® will be introduced as Aqualene™ and feature a distinguishing royal blue color.
The reason I ask is the fact that since we introduced around 10% ethanol to our general fuel supply, the marine industry has been up in arms due to the cleansing properties of ethanol. You see ethanol breaks down rust and or corrosions found in marine aluminum or fiberglass fuel tanks and outboard motors are failing. The standard fuel filters and racor separators are not enough to collect the debris, therefore many boater have had to replace their fuel tanks. There is an additive for this problem; however it is very expensive to use adding as much as 50% to the cost of already high fuel prices. Envirolene will probably work well with flex fuel vehicles, but keep it away from boaters unless they are equipped with stainless steel fuel tanks.
Envirolene has 49% synthetic ethanol.
What is the percentage, ratio of ethanol use to make this fuel?