Gas/glow to ethanol.
 

I have noticed posts wondering about how the OS "green" glow engine can use ethanol, which does not have a catalytic reation with the glow plug like methanol does. The engine is marketed as needing their special oil to work. There also have been posts wondering whether the Gas/Glow system we came up with here would work with ethanol. I think I found the answer. An apparent un-named "ignition improver" is apparently needed/used. I am betting that is the secret ingredient in their special, and very expensive oil for the OS ethanol burning glow engine.

I found the following info on Wikipedia, and this is a direct quote:

Since 1989 there have also been ethanol engines based on the diesel principle operating in Sweden.[SUP][38][/SUP] They are used primarily in city buses, but also in distribution trucks and waste collectors. The engines, made by Scania, have a modified compression ratio, and the fuel (known as ED95) used is a mix of 93.6% ethanol and 3.6% ignition improver, and 2.8% denaturants.[SUP][39][/SUP] The ignition improver makes it possible for the fuel to ignite in the diesel combustion cycle. It is then also possible to use the energy efficiency of the diesel principle with ethanol. These engines have been used in the United Kingdom by Reading Transport but the use of bioethanol fuel is now being phased out.

AV8TOR

So many people talk of "diesel efficiency" whereas every diesel engine I have ever owned, chews fuel like there is no tomorrow.
Anyone else find this or is it just me..??

I had a Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel in the late eighties that got 50 mpg. It was however the slowest car I ever owned and would top out at about 70 mph, maybe not quiet that. i hated that car back then and got rid of it not long after I bought it but maybe now with fuel prices being what they are I could deal with it. Maybe.

Diesels can pull more weight on a given amount of fuel than a gasoline engine can. Torque is a wonderful thing. In terms of the ignition improver used in this 93 some percent ethanol, I'd like to know what the chemical is.

Me too. Could be something as simple as acetone, or something exotic that costs 10 bucks an ounce and some kind of EPA certification to buy....

AV8TOR

[h=3]Dehydration[/h] Strong acid desiccants cause the dehydration of ethanol to form diethyl ether and other byproducts. If the dehydration temperature exceeds around 160 °C, ethylene will be the main product. Millions of kilograms of diethyl ether are produced annually using sulfuric acid catalyst:
2 CH[SUB]3[/SUB]CH[SUB]2[/SUB]OH → CH[SUB]3[/SUB]CH[SUB]2[/SUB]OCH[SUB]2[/SUB]CH[SUB]3[/SUB] + H[SUB]2[/SUB]O (on 120 °C)

Thought this might be of interest.

link here...........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol#Motor_fuel

I tested out one of those old diesel Rabbits and ya they were slow. Later I got a Mercedes 220 diesel. It think it was the slowest car on earth. I have a thing that checks 0-60mph times, and then it tells the 1/4 mile time. It took more than 1/4 mile to get to 60 mph. It gave fairly good mileage for a big boat though, and a nice ride too. Anyway the diesel ignition improver (DII) may be a good idea. They used to use Amyl Nitrate for that, but now it is hard to find because of druggies using it. It is a heart stimulant. There are other types available. We have E 85, 85% ethanol, but you can't get it pumped into a gas can anywhere here, and it is hard to find.

Maybe time to get a home brew kit and roll your own.

Ya, I have enough expendable motors (small glows) that I wouldn't mind losing for the sake of being scientifical.. I like the idea of home brew (got about a case left) and roll your own. Three months of nasty winter to go though before I can adjust a needle comfortably.

Heck, there's nothing to it. Don't worry, just go for it. Pick your percentage of methanol, nitro, and oil and mix it and go. Just make sure you use an oil that is compatible with methanol and I wouldn't use less than 18% oil myself. Nitro can be unstable in certain situations. The rule is, always add nitro to the other fuel, be it gasoline or methanol; never the other way around. NEVER add gasoline or methanol to the nitro.

AV8TOR

I think you might be on a different wavelength here.....the subject was about how to make ethanol based fuel suitable for the OS green engine.

Oh, sorry. I thought there was a side subject there about mixing regular glow fuel as well. Anyway, nitro does help with combustion, idle, and response, so if you use any, remember the safe mixing rule. If mixed the wrong way, you can momentarily reach an unstable mixture.

AV8TOR

Very small amounts of Propylene Oxide was / is added to Glo fuel to improve ignition. This was especially common when very high nitro percentages are used just to get the stuff to ignite consistently. Too much P. O. and you get pre-ignition and erratic running. It is a great aid for starting Glo engines in cold weather. Its evaporation rate is similar to ether though so containers must be tightly capped. Staying on subject, this or something similar might be the secret ignition improver as it has a very low flash point.

DII is mostly Hexyl Nitrate, 2-Ethyl Hexyl Nitrate, as used in model diesels, at about 1%. This may work? who knows? Amsoil has a DII that is sometimes used and there are other companies too, that is made for in the trucking industry.

Ever see the VW Jetta TDI racing series? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtC3sTyQ8DE

When the VW diesel Rabbit first came out, they had a commercial that showed that you could drive to see a friend cheaper than making a long distance phone call. Ummm... not these days!!

AV8TOR