Feasibility study of using methanol‐ gasoline blends in the Iranian fleet of vehicles

After the petroleum crises twice happened in 1970’s, developed countries such as USA, Germany and Japanhave been actively looking for alternative energy resources of petroleum. Gaseous fuels are considered cleanerbecause of their inherent characteristics of low pollutant formation and emissions during handling and use.Methanol has been used as a transportation fuel in the USA and in China. Flexible fuel vehicles and filling stationsfor blends of methanol from M3 to M85 have been deployed. the author of this article made analysis,comparison, identification and evaluation on main kinds of vehicle fuels with standards on six aspects(combustion character , environmental protection property , economics, durative of supply , safety andevaluation on investment for building transportation and distribution system),and got the conclusion thatalcohol fuels are the best mainly because of their cleanness, environmental protection, economics, safety,durable supply, as well as low construction expenses of transportation and distribution system, and easypromotion. Methanol is the best among alcohol ether fuels because of its best combustion character, besteconomic character, good environmental protection property, and lowest construction expenses oftransportation and distribution system.

Keywords:

alternative energy , Flexible fuel , methanol , alcohol fuels