Energy Content of Alcohols
Methanol 50% of gasoline
Ethanol 67% of gasoline
Butanol 95% of gasoline depends on who you ask
Butanol has many superior properties as an alternative fuel when compared to ethanol. These include:
Higher energy content (110,000 Btu’s per gallon for butanol vs. 84,000 Btu per gallon for ethanol).
Gasoline contains about 115,000 Btu’s per gallon.
Butanol is six times less “evaporative” than ethanol and 13.5 times less evaporative than gasoline,
making it safer to use as an oxygenate in Arizona, California and other states, thereby eliminating the
need for very special blends during the summer and winter months.
Butanol can be shipped through existing fuel pipelines where ethanol must be transported via rail,
barge or truck
Butanol can be used as a replacement for gasoline gallon for gallon e.g. 100%, or any other percentage.
Ethanol can only be used as an additive to gasoline up to about 85% and then only after significant
modifications to the engine. Worldwide 10% ethanol blends predominate.
That is, for each bushel of corn you would garner (1.3) gallons of butanol (0.7) gallons of acetone and
(0.13) gallons of ethanol with concentrations of 1-2%.
If you compared ABE yield to that of the yeast ethanol fermentation process, the yeast process yields
2.5 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn, with concentrations of 10-15% it becomes very clear why
ethanol was chosen as an alternative fuel source over butanol in the 1970's and 80's.
ButylFuel, LLC's patent means that we are now able to produce yields of 2.5 gallons of butanol per
bushel of corn. Since Butanol contains more energy than ethanol, it would seem to be a better way to
go. In addition, Butanol can be moved through pipelines and ethanol cannot. Also, butanol can be
used in any percentage without modifying the engines.
See: http://www.butanol.com/
Gulf Ethanol Corp looks like a total loser:
http://www.gulfethanolcorp.com/
Much of their site is way out of date.
Next
Enerbot Options Index
Methanol 50% of gasoline
Ethanol 67% of gasoline
Butanol 95% of gasoline depends on who you ask
Butanol has many superior properties as an alternative fuel when compared to ethanol. These include:
Higher energy content (110,000 Btu’s per gallon for butanol vs. 84,000 Btu per gallon for ethanol).
Gasoline contains about 115,000 Btu’s per gallon.
Butanol is six times less “evaporative” than ethanol and 13.5 times less evaporative than gasoline,
making it safer to use as an oxygenate in Arizona, California and other states, thereby eliminating the
need for very special blends during the summer and winter months.
Butanol can be shipped through existing fuel pipelines where ethanol must be transported via rail,
barge or truck
Butanol can be used as a replacement for gasoline gallon for gallon e.g. 100%, or any other percentage.
Ethanol can only be used as an additive to gasoline up to about 85% and then only after significant
modifications to the engine. Worldwide 10% ethanol blends predominate.
That is, for each bushel of corn you would garner (1.3) gallons of butanol (0.7) gallons of acetone and
(0.13) gallons of ethanol with concentrations of 1-2%.
If you compared ABE yield to that of the yeast ethanol fermentation process, the yeast process yields
2.5 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn, with concentrations of 10-15% it becomes very clear why
ethanol was chosen as an alternative fuel source over butanol in the 1970's and 80's.
ButylFuel, LLC's patent means that we are now able to produce yields of 2.5 gallons of butanol per
bushel of corn. Since Butanol contains more energy than ethanol, it would seem to be a better way to
go. In addition, Butanol can be moved through pipelines and ethanol cannot. Also, butanol can be
used in any percentage without modifying the engines.
See: http://www.butanol.com/
Gulf Ethanol Corp looks like a total loser:
http://www.gulfethanolcorp.com/
Much of their site is way out of date.
Next
Enerbot Options Index
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