Browsing by Subject "Alternative fuels"
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Item Algae biofuels in Texas(2009-08) Salpekar, Ashwini; Sylvie, George; Malcolm Brown Jr., RobertTexas – the energy center of the world – is emerging as a pioneer in algae biodiesel research and production. There are a number of reasons for this. Texas is the largest emitter of CO₂ in the country, and efforts are being made to reduce the state's dependence on fossil fuels. Also, algae – robust and promising organisms – need non-arable land, lots of sunlight and brackish/waste water, along with CO₂. Texas has all of these in abundance, plus universities and algae start-ups that are doing crucial RItem Assessing the viability of compressed natural gas as a transportation fuel for light-duty vehicles in the United States(2011-08) Kennedy, Castlen Moore; Webber, Michael E., 1971-; Groat, CharlesRecent optimistic revisions to projections for recoverable natural gas resources in the United States have generated renewed interest in the possibility of greater utilization of natural gas as a transportation fuel. Against a backdrop of significant policy challenges for the United States, including air quality concerns in urban areas, slow economic growth and high unemployment, and a rising unease with regard to an increasing dependence on foreign oil; natural gas offers the nation’s transportation sector an opportunity to reduce mobile emissions, lower fuel costs, create jobs and reduce dependence on imported oil. While the current focus for expanded use of natural gas in the transportation sector emphasizes heavy duty and fleet vehicles, there may also be potential for increased use for passenger vehicles. Inconvenience, with regard to refueling, and high incremental vehicle costs, however, are seen as major obstacles to greater adaptation. This analysis examines the benefits and drawbacks of natural gas vehicles from the passenger vehicle perspective and includes data from a cross-country road trip. The report includes a review of market trends and possible development scenarios and concludes with recommendations to minimize the potential challenges of greater adaptation of natural gas vehicles in the passenger vehicle market.Item An enviro-economic assessment of waste vegetable oil to biodiesel conversion : an analysis of cost and GHG emissions for the University of Texas at Austin(2014-08) Ernst, Kendall Robert; Blackhurst, Michael F.With its multiple dining halls, close proximity to restaurants, and diesel vehicle fleet, the University of Texas at Austin (UT) has both the supply of raw materials to implement a waste vegetable oil to biodiesel recycling program and the capacity to use it. At face value, implementing a large-scale recycling program provides a source of cheap, low emissions fuel. However, the feasibility of such a program is contingent on its economic cost and environmental impact relative to alternative fuel sources. Thus, this research estimated the greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and the unit cost associated with 1 megajoule worth of recycled biodiesel derived from three production processes –Alkali Catalyzed, Acid Catalyzed, and Supercritical Methanol–using environmental life cycle assessment and life cycle costing. These GHG inventories and unit costs were then compared to the conventional diesel and oilseed biodiesel sources that make up UT’s current fuel portfolio. This analysis suggested that implementing a recycling program using a Supercritical Methanol biodiesel conversion process would have the lowest combined GHG impact and unit cost, although as an emerging technology, it poses a high investment risk. In general, these findings are encouraging to the success and impact of a large-scale recycling program.Item An investigation into the corrosive effects of using newly developed alternative fuels with steel fuel tanks(2004-08-16) Thakar, Mirage Kartikeya; Wheat, Harovel GraysCorrosive properties of four diesel fuels were studied qualitatively and quantitatively and compared with those of #2 diesel. Three of the fuels were emulsified fuels and one was an ultra low sulfur diesel. Planned interval tests were used to study real-time corrosion activity. Visual observation, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for analysis of the metal after exposure to the fuels. Electrochemical tests were attempted in order to obtain a corrosion rate and additional corrosion information. Certain emulsified diesel fuels are reported to reduce polluting emissions significantly. Emissions from ultra low sulfur diesel are also reported to be lower than those from #2 diesel. With growing environmental concern and stricter pollution standards, these fuels are gaining popularity because these alternative fuels present a practical solution. Four fuels manufactured by three different companies were tested. Due to confidentiality concerns, chemical formulae of these fuels will not be discussed. These fuels are mainly aimed at heavy vehicles where the choice of fuel-tank material is low-carbon steel. 1018 steel was chosen to represent the automobile fuel-tank material. Recommendations for their use will be made, based on the qualitative results of this study