Making a better case for alternative fuels
Ricardo Inc. of Van Buren, Mi., the American arm of the British engineering firm Ricardo plc, has announced it has developed technology that optimizes ethanol-fueled engines to a level of performance that exceeds gasoline engine efficiency and approaches levels previously reached only by diesel engines.
The technology, called Ethanol Boosted Direct Injection or EBDI, takes full advantage of ethanol’s best properties – higher octane and higher heat of vaporization – to create a truly renewable fuel scenario that is independent of the cost of oil.
“Developing renewable energy applications that can lead to energy independence is a top priority at Ricardo,” said Ricardo President Dean Harlow. “We’ve moved past theoretical discussion and are busy applying renewable energy technology to the real world. The EBDI engine project is a great example because it turns the gasoline-ethanol equation upside down. It has the performance of diesel, at the cost of ethanol, and runs on ethanol, gasoline, or a blend of both.”
“In real-world terms, these efficiencies mean that EBDI can reduce the actual cost of transportation when compared to fossil fuels, and it does it with a renewable resource – ethanol,” said Rod Beazley, director of Ricardo’s Gasoline Product Group. “The combination of technologies we’re applying to the EBDI engine make the most of ethanol’s advantages over other fuels, which include a higher octane rating and a higher heat of vaporization.”
The prototype EBDI is a 3.2-liter V6 engine that ultimately could serve as a replacement for a large gasoline or turbo-diesel engine in a large SUV. The first firing of the engine & initial development is currently taking place and will be installed into a dual-wheel pick-up truck demonstration vehicle later this month.
A major mark of the industry interest in alternative fuels is that Johnson Controls Inc. of Milwaukee – one of the industry’s most successful suppliers – has been added to the Calvert Social Index, which measures the performance of U.S.-based socially responsible companies.
The Calvert Social Index Committee noted that Johnson Controls “is on a trajectory toward sustainability leadership, providing products and services that will help make a cleaner environment, as well as a more efficient society and economy.”
“Inclusion in the Calvert Social Index is a testament to our company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability,” said Stephen A. Roell, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Controls.
Meanwhile, Roush Performance and the Propane Education & Research Council are preparing 2010 Roush Propane F-250. Roush, with support from PERC, has been working on new low-carbon, propane technology for the past three years, and is now ready to deliver propane-powered fleet vehicles that will have all EPA and CARB certifications, yet sustain no loss of horsepower, torque or towing capacity, according to the company’s announcement.
No doubt that a greener future is on the way, but not so sure ethanol, even with juiced-up engines. The ability to get more power out of ethanol has long been known, so Ricardo’s engine is not so much a breakthrough as a credible top firm finally getting around to engineer it. The limiting factor is still the availability, affordability, and true greenness of ethanol supply itself.