Saturday, November 28, 2015

Alternative fuels

What is meant by pure fuels? The fuel, which on burning does not produce harmful substance for human health and environment, is called the pure fuel. Fuels particularly wood, natural gas and petroleum when burn produce carbon-die-oxide gas, water and heat. Plants absorbed carbon-die-oxide gas in photo synthesis process. Certainly if we burn these fuels in insufficient air, harmful carbon-mono-oxide gas is also produced with carbon-die-oxide gas which is dangerous for health. On the other hand, if fuel contains particularly sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds, then on burning of fuel various oxides of nitrogen and sulfur harmful to the health and environment is produced. Sulfur–die-oxide combines with atmospheric water vapor and produced sulfuric acids which cause acid rain. We can certainly realize that acid rain is an obstacle to plants and animals of environment to survive. Besides, this carbon-mono-oxide, nitrous oxide and unburned gaseous fuel (methane) comes into air from exhaust of vehicles forms various toxic gases and fumes by different chemical reaction in presence of sunlight. This is called photo-chemical smog. The constituent gases of photo-chemical smog cause dangerous corrosion to atmospheric ozone (O3) layer. So it is very important to ensure the uses of pure fuels for safety of health and environment.

Ethanol as fuel

Ethanol another name of which is alcohol is a flammable liquid chemical substance. Ethanol on burning produces heat like mineral fuels kerosene, petrol, diesel etc. So ethanol can be used in heat engine like mineral fuels and can run industries, vehicles, airplane, ship etc. Ethanol mixing with petroleum is used in heat engine as fuel in Brazil, North America and other developed countries. Almost all of the motor vehicles in America run by using 10% ethanol with petroleum. Government of Brazil makes it compulsory to use 25% ethanol in fuel. Except this, alcohol (methanol, ethanol) is used as fuel in fuel cells, known as the technology of producing usable energy in modern time and for the next generation. Certainly this question arises in mind, why to use ethanol although there is other fuel? It is said that, mineral fuels will be finished once upon a time. So it is required to think how we will produce energy. How will we run industries and vehicles? In this situation, if we can use ethanol as fuel then certainly the demand on the reserve of mineral fuel will be decreased. The interesting matter is that, ethanol is an organic chemical product which is produced from starch like corn or potato, sugarcane etc. by fermentation reaction. This is why ethanol is called bio-fuel. Now a day’s using new technology, production of ethanol is possible from cellulose (constituent of plants body). On the other hand it is possible to ensure the regular production of corn and plants that means ethanol by agriculture. So there is no fear of finishing of ethanol like mineral fuels. So it is important to produce ethanol commercially and to develop technology of using it as alternative fuels.

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