From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Summary of a Government Committee report on the potential use of alcohol as a motor fuel, covering supply, production, and usage.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 40\4\ Scan004 | |
| Date | 5th July 1919 | |
| 10 THE AUTOCAR, July 5th, 1919. Alcohol as Motor Fuel Summary of the Encouraging Report of the Government's Alcohol Committee : The Policy Advocated by "The Autocar" Endorsed by the Findings. THE subject of alcohol fuel is one in which The Autocar has always interested itself deeply. It will be remembered that, prior to the war, Dr. Ormandy at our request conducted a valuable series of experiments which definitely demonstrated the practical possibilities of employing alcohol mixtures in engines of normal design. Our championship of alcohol as an important fuel, if not the fuel of the future, has been based largely on one outstanding merit that is peculiar to it. This merit is stated by the Government's Inter-departmental Committee on alcohol for power and traction purposes, which now reports in the following terms : "The outstanding and fundamental attraction of alcohol motor fuel as a substitute for any fuel necessarily derived from coal or oil deposits lies in the fact that, on account of its chief sources being found in the vegetable world, supplies of raw material for its manufacture are being continuously renewed, and are susceptible of great expansion without encroachment upon food supplies." Compared with fuels of the benzole order, the potential production of power-alcohol is enormous. The weak spot, if there is one in the case, is that it did not and does not appear possible for our fuel needs to be met by means of power-alcohol obtained from sources that would render us independent of importation. We may make the British Empire self-supporting in respect of liquid fuel, but we cannot do the same with the British Isles, unless the highest hopes of those who are seeking petroleum deposits are realised. However, it appears that even in this country the production of power-alcohol may fall very little short of the production of benzole. Home Sources of Supply. The Committee had the benefit of a consultation with Lord Moulton, who, in his capacity as Director-General of the Explosives Department of the Ministry of Munitions, conducted during the war investigations in respect of the extraction of ethylene from coal and coke oven gases. The synthetic production of alcohol from ethylene is practicable, and, though definite figures as to quantity and price cannot yet be given, the Committee feels justified in referring to this as a large potential source of supply. We question, however, whether it will, at the most, suffice to fill more than about a quarter of our existing needs for motor fuel in this country alone. The report goes on to deal with various proposals for producing alcohol from vegetable sources at home, and wisely discourages speculation in this direction. It is pointed out that potatoes, which appear to be the best home source, yield only about twenty gallons of 95% alcohol per ton, and, having regard even to pre-war prices, this would make the whole proposition uncommercial except under some system of State subvention. The Committee recognises the possibilities of extraction from peat, but points out that as yet no satisfactory method has been brought to its notice. Thus we reach the conclusion that, so far as vegetable sources are concerned, we must rely mainly, if not entirely, upon tropical and sub-tropical countries. POINTS OF THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. British Empire self-supporting. Prompt action necessary. Removal of restrictions on manufacture and distribution. Government assistance of experimental work. Cost and sources of supply. Cheaper denaturing needed. In these the possibilities are immense. We have, first, the sugar-containing products, such as molasses. Secondly, starch-containing products, such as maize and other cereals; and, thirdly, cellulose-containing products, such as peat and wood pulp. Of these three the first two appear the most promising, and the Committee has taken evidence which gives proof of successful production and utilisation of power-alcohol from such sources. Fourpence a Gallon for Raw Material. In very many sugar-growing areas large quantities of molasses run to waste. Doubtless, also, the world's production can be increased. In the class of sugar-containing products comes also the flowers of the mahua tree. These, the Committee states, can be cultivated and delivered locally at £1 10s. per ton, from which about ninety gallons of alcohol can be obtained. This makes the cost of the raw material delivered at the distillery no more than 4d. a gallon. The tree flourishes in various districts in India. In the second class, maize is one of the most promising cereals, though by no means the only one. The Committee states that the production in the Overseas Empire from cereals is encouraging, both as regards quantities and cost. It is pointed out that our present system of denaturing is unnecessarily costly, sometimes adding as much as 6d. a gallon. Research in respect of alternative denaturants is advocated, and three such alternatives are suggested, viz., formaldehyde, pyridine, and tobacco oil. Meanwhile, it is proposed that large users willing to give bond should be allowed to employ only small quantities of wood naphtha, making up the difference to the present total by the addition of petrol or benzole with a little colouring matter. Thus the position so far as the supply of alcohol is concerned is that we require research work as regards denaturants and investigation as regards the cheapest methods of distillation. We also stand badly in need of changes in the Excise regulations, which have the effect of greatly increasing the cost of distillation. Continuous distillation should be permitted, and so also should simultaneous fermentation and distillation in the same building. Moreover, the determination of specific gravity by means of the saccharometer should not be insisted upon. Use of Alcohol as a Motor Fuel. We turn now to the question of utilising the fuel when the supplies are available. The report does not state specifically whether the Committee advocates the modification of engines so as to use alcohol alone or favours rather the employment of alcohol mixtures in existing engines. Reading between the lines, the latter is the process which appears to be contemplated. This we believe to be the right policy, though it seems to be out of agreement with the conclusions of the Alcohol Committee in Australia, which reported some months back. The present report indicates the nature of experiments that are being made at the instance of the Inter-departmental Committee. Some very B32 | ||