Resistively Heated Metal Monolith as a Cold Start Assist for a Methanol Engine. Interim Report

摘要

Light-duty M100 neat methanol-fueled engines are difficult to start and run in cold weather because of the high boiling point of methanol, methanol's high heat of vaporization (5.5 percent of the heat of combustion compared to less than 1 percent for gasoline), and the increased fuel flow needed for methanol. Gasoline-fueled engines start with less difficulty under the same conditions partly because of the easily ignitable light ends of this fuel such as butanes, which are vaporized at relatively low temperatures. The goal of the project was to construct and test a methanol dissociation system that could provide hydrogen and carbon monoxide gaseous fuels in quantities that could be used as a cold start assist for a methanol-fueled engine. This dissociator would utilize resistively heated metal foil technology to provide the energy necessary to bring the catalyst to operating temperatures quickly.