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.
(23) Kerosene Oil.
Kerosene is a fractional distillate of crude oil which has a considerably higher vaporizing temperature than gasoline. It does not form an inflammable mixture with the air at ordinary temperatures, but is vaporized in practice by spraying it into a chamber heated to above 200°F. Kerosene forms a greater percentage of crude oil than gasoline and as there has been less demand for it up to the present time it is much cheaper. Pennsylvania crude oil produces only 20 per cent of gasoline while the kerosene contents will average nearly 42 per cent according to figures at hand.
Kerosene has a very high calorific value per gallon, 8.5 gallons of kerosene having the same heating effect as 10 gallons of gasoline. Because of its high calorific value and its low cost per gallon, many types of engines have been developed for its use during the last few years, several of which have been very successful. Before the advent of the modern kerosene engine much difficulty was experienced with the fuel because of its high vaporizing temperature and its tendency to carbonize in the cylinder, but as the price of gasoline continued to rise, the inventive genius of the gas engine builder overcame these troubles so that the kerosene engine is now as reliable as any form of prime mover.
Kerosene Vaporizer on Fairbanks-Morse Engine. The Engine is Started on Gasoline and When Hot, the Kerosene Feed is Turned on.