GL: Auto fuel?

[LRZeitlin at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/18/07 12:00:25 AM, Mac writes:


> Pure ethanol or methanol is commonly used
> in automobile racing, even though it contains
> less energy.  If memory serves me correctly,
> the alcohol fuel is used mostly (or only) from
> a safety standpoint in that it is unlikely to
> explode and alcohol fires can be extinguished
> with water!
>
Ethanol and methanol both have much higher effective octane ratings and
specific heats than gasoline. They can be used with higher engine compression
ratios and greater supercharger pressures. Admittedly, there is less energy
per
drop of fuel than with gasoline but bigger jets or injectors take care of
that.
Races are not about fuel economy. The high specifc heat of alcohol fuels acts
as an internal engine coolant. If you go to drag races you will find that
"fuel" dragsters using alcohol based fuels doped with nitromethane can pull
1000 hp
out of an engine block which, in an ordinary street car, would peak at 200
hp. As an ex-auto racing freak, I can assure you that the ability to put out
an
alcohol fire with water is not the reason alcohol fuels are used. You were
thinking of galley stoves perhaps?

Larry Z



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