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.
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