(22) Alcohol.
Alcohol is of vegetable origin, being the result of the destructive distillation of various kinds of starchy plants or vegetables. Starch is the base of alcohol.
As a fuel, alcohol has much in its favor, as it causes no carbon deposit, has smokeless and odorless exhaust, can stand high compression, and requires less cooling water than gasoline, as the heat loss is less through the cylinder walls, and for this reason it is more efficient fuel than gasoline.
At the present time the price of alcohol prohibits its general use. In order that alcohol equal gasoline in price per horse-power hour, it should sell for 10c. per gallon, the price of gasoline being 15c. per gallon.
Alcohol can be used in any ordinary gasoline engine with readjustment of carburetor and the compression.
The nozzle in the carburetor has to be of larger bore for alcohol than for gasoline, and the compression for alcohol in the neighborhood of 180 pounds per square inch.
The inlet air should be heated to about 280°F for alcohol fuel; approximately 6% of the heat of the alcohol is required for its vaporization. Alcohol is much safer to handle than gasoline owing to its low volatility.
90% alcohol has a calorific value of 10,100 B.T.U. per pound, its specific gravity being .815.
WOOD, or METHYL alcohol is made by distilling the starch contained in the fibres of some species of wood (Poisonous).
GRAIN, or ETHYL alcohol is the result of the distillation of the starch contained in grains, potatoes, molasses, etc. ETHYL, or GRAIN alcohol rendered unfit for drinking by the addition of certain substances, is called DENATURED ALCOHOL. The process of denaturing does not affect the calorific value of alcohol to any extent.