New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-12
ALCOHOL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Whether internal combustion engines now
operated with gasolene can be made to work
equally well with alcohol is n question which
has been much discussed since the enactment
Of the law exempting from tax spirits used
for industrial purposes Conflicting opinions
have been expressed. but possible way of
reconciling them is suggested in The Eli
gineering Magazine by Thomas J.. White. who
in previous issue of the same periodical de
scribed a cheap method of manufacturing al
cohOl. Mr.. White there described a new SWed-
ish process. utilizing peat which, in his iudg-
ment, would make it possible TO market alcohol
at n profit for five cents gallon.
The efficiency of alcohol in the development
of power must depend good deal on the type
of engine in which it is used. Most of the en-
coura cement obtained from recent experiments
was secured with q heavy stationary engine,
suited to farm work 1t had a relatively long
stroke. and the revolutions did not exceed j
hundred to the minute The motor OF an au-
tomobile presents different conditions. IT'S
piston has short play, and often makes 1000
complete Journeys to the minute. Obviously
swift combustion in the cylinder is essential to
efficiency and economy in such an engine, and
that is where alcohol has proved more or less
of disappointment. Mr.. White declares with
emphasis that the faults can be corrected by
material What the French call "alcool car
bure" for instance is a mixture of alcohol and
benzol. The compound is open to two OBJ
iections however. It is said TO leave Il de
post of SCOT in the cylinder and valves, and
it is pretty expensive. In order to get quick
action as much as 30 per cent Of benzo is
sometimes employed. and the supply of this
second member of the partnership is rather
limited. Bcnzol. also called benzene, is a coal
tar derivative, whereas benzine. with which
it is enormously COMPOUNDED. and gasolene are
petroleum diStillates, According to Herr Fehr
mann. a high German authority on alcohol en-
gfnes, better results attend the use of acety-
Iene in place of benzol. Acetylene IeSTes no
SCOT. he saws. and Mr.. White declares that it
develops more heat and greatly facilitates the
starting of the motor.
How much acetylene is needed the writer for
THE Engineering Magazine fails TO say, but
it may be presumed that the quantity required
would not add greatly to the cost Of this
blend" Another point on which further in
formation is desirable is the method by which
the acetylene-which is a gaS-is added to
vapor of alcohol before explosion Acetylene
is produced by wetting calcium carbide, a
solid. If a reasonably simple bit of apparatus
conveniently placed under an automobile, will
serve the purpose, Mr.. Whites recommended
ton will deserve careful consideration.
Since the discovery of a cheap source OF
acetylene in this country, ten or twelve years
ago the gas has been employed EXTENSIVELY
either alone as an illuminant or TO enrich water
gas Apparently it can be produced in I'M
limited quantities, and If it can be used for
the development of power it will have a new
claim to popular favor. 1t would be clever
stroke of policy for the men who are now
engaged in manufacturing calcium carbide to
examine Mr.. Whites statements. and deter
mine what further steps are necessary to open
up q fresh market for their product. The mat
ter will doubtless receive the attention of the
makers of stationary gas engines. and the
builders of automobiles also. If, without any
change in construction, their machines will
pro- G equally well adapted TO the of two
kinds of fuel as dissimllar alcohol and gaso-
lene it ought to be for their interest to learn
and promulgate the fact More than one
shrewd Judge expects n diminution in the
worlds supply of gasoene before many years
in spite of its present low price. A satisfac
tory demonstration that the faults Of alcohol
can be overcome easily would, moreover, give
new stimulus to projects for its manufacture.