SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING ALCOHOL FUELS
Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for producing, storing and using alcohol fuels. In one aspect of the disclosed technology, a method to provide a fuel for an engine includes mixing an alcohol with water to produce a wet alcohol, adding a fuel constituent in the wet alcohol to form a liquid fuel, the fuel constituent being soluble in the wet alcohol, and converting, in a container having an interior formed of an armored material, the liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel substance using at least one of heat energy or electrical energy to pressurize the liquid fuel, the gaseous fuel substance exhibiting a higher pressure and lower density than that of the liquid fuel.
1 . A method for preparing a gaseous fuel, comprising:
providing a wet alcohol;
adding a fuel constituent to the wet alcohol to form a liquid fuel; and
converting the liquid fuel to form a gaseous fuel,
wherein the gaseous fuel has a lower fuel density than the liquid fuel.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wet alcohol comprises an alcohol and water.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the alcohol and water are mixed to form the wet alcohol prior to adding the fuel constituent.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the alcohol and water are co-produced.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the alcohol and water are co-produced by reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the hydrogen and carbon are produced by heating a hydrocarbon feedstock.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding an odorizing agent to the wet alcohol and/or the liquid fuel.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting comprises applying heat to the liquid fuel.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting comprises applying electrical energy to the liquid fuel.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting comprises applying heat and electrical energy to the liquid fuel.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting occurs in an armored container.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel has a higher chemical energy potential and/or a higher pressure energy potential than the liquid fuel.
13 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the gaseous fuel has one or more of:
a lower availability to be ingested by animals or plants than the alcohol;
a shorter half-life as a contaminant than the liquid fuel; and
a shorter time of dispersion upon leakage than the liquid fuel.
14 . A method for providing a gaseous fuel to a combustion chamber, the method comprising:
providing a wet alcohol;
adding a fuel constituent to the wet alcohol to form a liquid fuel;
converting the liquid fuel to form a gaseous fuel; and
delivering the gaseous fuel to a combustion chamber,
wherein the gaseous fuel has a lower fuel density than the liquid fuel.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the wet alcohol comprises an alcohol and water.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the alcohol and water are mixed to form the wet alcohol prior to adding the fuel constituent.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the alcohol and water are co-produced.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the alcohol and water are co-produced by reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the hydrogen and carbon are produced by heating a hydrocarbon feedstock.
20 . The method of claim 14 further comprising adding an odorizing agent to the wet alcohol and/or the liquid fuel.
21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the converting comprises applying heat to the liquid fuel.
22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the converting comprises applying electrical energy to the liquid fuel.
23 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the converting comprises applying heat and electrical energy to the liquid fuel.
24 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the converting occurs in an armored container.
25 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the delivering occurs through an armored conduit.
26 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the gaseous fuel has a higher chemical energy potential and/or a higher pressure energy potential than the liquid fuel.
27 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the gaseous fuel has one or more of:
a lower availability to be ingested by animals or plants than the alcohol;
a shorter half-life as a contaminant than the alcohol; and
a shorter time of dispersion upon leakage than the alcohol.
28 . A method for providing gaseous components to a combustion chamber, the method comprising:
providing a liquid fuel comprising an alcohol and water;
passing the liquid fuel through a countercurrent heat exchanger in a first direction to form a heated liquid fuel;
passing the heated liquid fuel through an endothermic reactor and/or a heat exchanger to form pressurized gaseous components;
passing the pressurized gaseous components through the countercurrent heat exchanger in a second direction opposite from the first direction to form cooled pressurized gaseous components; and
introducing the cooled pressurized gaseous components into the combustion chamber,
wherein the cooled pressurized gaseous components have a lower fuel density than the liquid fuel and/or the heated liquid fuel.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the liquid fuel further comprises an odorizing agent.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the liquid fuel further comprises a fuel constituent.
31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the endothermic reactor and/or the heat exchanger is armored.
32 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the introducing occurs through an armored conduit.
33 . The method of claim 28 , wherein countercurrent heat exchanger is within an exhaust pipe.
34 . The method of claim 33 further comprising collecting water condensates from the exhaust pipe and
35 . The method of claim 33 further comprising:
collecting water condensates from the exhaust pipe;
mixing the water condensates with an alcohol to form a second liquid fuel; and
delivering the second liquid fuel to the countercurrent heat exchanger.
36 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the cooled pressurized gaseous components have a higher chemical energy potential and/or a higher pressure energy potential than the liquid fuel.
37 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the cooled pressurized gaseous components have one or more of:
a lower availability to be ingested by animals or plants than the alcohol;
a shorter half-life as a contaminant than the alcohol; and
a shorter time of dispersion upon leakage than the alcohol.
38 . A method for producing a gaseous fuel substance, the method comprising:
forming a liquid fuel comprising formic acid;
adding a fuel constituent to the liquid fuel to form a mixture; and
applying heat and/or electrical energy to the mixture to form the gaseous fuel substance,
wherein the gaseous fuel substance has a lower fuel density than the liquid fuel.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the liquid fuel further comprises an alcohol and/or water.
40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein the gaseous fuel substance has one or more of:
a lower availability to be ingested by animals or plants than the alcohol;
a shorter half-life as a contaminant than the alcohol; and
a shorter time of dispersion upon leakage than the alcohol.