Comments on: Switch to ethanol may be harmful to health, scientist says http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/ the future of sports cars Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:13:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Russell McLean http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/comment-page-1/#comment-1656 Russell McLean Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:28:40 +0000 http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/#comment-1656 After carefull thought of your article, I firmly believe ethanol wouldn't have to cause more smog related harm, actually it should be less. Ethanol has diffirent properties to normal petrol so if a car is optmised to run on ethanol it won't produce any more pollutants. Flexi fuel vehicles (vehicles that work on either ethanol or petrol) are designed to work as a compromise. E85 is a an 85% ethanol blend that is commonly used in Europe and has an octane rating of 113 meaning that it withstands harmful detonation far more than petrol and the motor actually runs cooler. If the compresion ratio is simply increased and the motor gets tuned properly then the burning becomes far more efficient. There are 4 main types of pollutants that are legislated against -unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon particles (smoke) and nitrates. The first three are caused by incomplete burning, i.e the wrong compresion ratio, poor timing, or a poor air fuel mixture. Nitrates are created by how long and how hot the burning takes place and can be negated by engine design and by catolytic converters. Nitrates DO NOT go hand in hand with hydrocarbons and they can be greatly reduced with catolytic converters. All of the other pollutants are problems with an engine not optimised for use with that fuel. I must also add that a big reason diesel engines are more efficient than more eco-friendly than petrol are because they have higher compresion ratios. Another cool thing about optimising a motor for ethanol is a large power increase (Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenisgegg increased the power output from 806 bhp to 1018 bhp with the same motor by just a few minor changes). Isn't it strange that flexi fuel vehicles have less power when run on ethanol than pertol, surely this is a sure indication of a poor coprimise There should be advantages or better economy, power with less pollution. I also noticed some other flaws with the original post. The smog problem isn't worsened by heavy vegetation. Vegetation takes up nitrates, carbon dioxide and even reduces smoke. The real problem about the smog is the combination of the pollutants created in the area combined with landscape and weather in the area. Petrol is also mixed with other environmentally unfriendy additives that add to the smog toxicity that Mark Jacobson just happened to leave out (probably on purpose), and the fact that ethanol is a renewable fuel that has a very small carbon footprint in comparisin. When I can afford the initial cost, I will definately convert to ethanol because there are no disadvantages in ethanol where I live and I'll have a clean concience about my carbon footprint. After carefull thought of your article, I firmly believe ethanol wouldn’t have to cause more smog related harm, actually it should be less. Ethanol has diffirent properties to normal petrol so if a car is optmised to run on ethanol it won’t produce any more pollutants. Flexi fuel vehicles (vehicles that work on either ethanol or petrol) are designed to work as a compromise. E85 is a an 85% ethanol blend that is commonly used in Europe and has an octane rating of 113 meaning that it withstands harmful detonation far more than petrol and the motor actually runs cooler. If the compresion ratio is simply increased and the motor gets tuned properly then the burning becomes far more efficient.
There are 4 main types of pollutants that are legislated against -unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon particles (smoke) and nitrates. The first three are caused by incomplete burning, i.e the wrong compresion ratio, poor timing, or a poor air fuel mixture. Nitrates are created by how long and how hot the burning takes place and can be negated by engine design and by catolytic converters. Nitrates DO NOT go hand in hand with hydrocarbons and they can be greatly reduced with catolytic converters. All of the other pollutants are problems with an engine not optimised for use with that fuel. I must also add that a big reason diesel engines are more efficient than more eco-friendly than petrol are because they have higher compresion ratios.
Another cool thing about optimising a motor for ethanol is a large power increase (Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenisgegg increased the power output from 806 bhp to 1018 bhp with the same motor by just a few minor changes). Isn’t it strange that flexi fuel vehicles have less power when run on ethanol than pertol, surely this is a sure indication of a poor coprimise
There should be advantages or better economy, power with less pollution.
I also noticed some other flaws with the original post. The smog problem isn’t worsened by heavy vegetation. Vegetation takes up nitrates, carbon dioxide and even reduces smoke. The real problem about the smog is the combination of the pollutants created in the area combined with landscape and weather in the area. Petrol is also mixed with other environmentally unfriendy additives that add to the smog toxicity that Mark Jacobson just happened to leave out (probably on purpose), and the fact that ethanol is a renewable fuel that has a very small carbon footprint in comparisin. When I can afford the initial cost, I will definately convert to ethanol because there are no disadvantages in ethanol where I live and I’ll have a clean concience about my carbon footprint.

]]> By: Brian Mott http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/comment-page-1/#comment-411 Brian Mott Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:03:40 +0000 http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/#comment-411 One way to help cut down on the amount of emissions coming from vehicles is to use a re-formulator. There is a product called ethos fr which cuts emissions by 30% or more. The data and some of the users can be found at usaethosfr.com Brian Mott Dallas, Texas One way to help cut down on the amount of emissions coming from vehicles is to use a re-formulator. There is a product called ethos fr which cuts emissions by 30% or more. The data and some of the users can be found at usaethosfr.com

Brian Mott
Dallas, Texas

]]> By: Elma the police Impound car Bargain Chick http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/comment-page-1/#comment-400 Elma the police Impound car Bargain Chick Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:25:25 +0000 http://www.topgreencars.com/switch-to-ethanol-may-be-harmful-to-health-scientist-says/#comment-400 I really am impressed with this blog. we really need to get away from fossil based fuels. Love the green stuff! I really am impressed with this blog. we really need to get away from fossil based fuels. Love the green stuff!

]]>