The Washington herald., 1917-09-23
FRENCHMEN USING
ALCOHOL GASOLINE
Foreigners Conserve Supply by Mix
ing Fuel-Good Results Obtained.

1t Is a well-known fact that the in
gsnuity OF the French Is taxed to pro-
vide sufficient fuel to operate their
large fleets of motor trucks. am
balances and airplanes. One Of the
results Of the shortage is what ap-
pears to be a successful effort to util-
ize denatured alcohol. II Is stated
that when alcohol Is used in the
ratio OF three parts TO one Of gasoline
a very satisfactory mixture Is obtain
ed, one that affords flexibility and
makes starting a cold engine as easy
as with a gasoline mixture.
Although the alcohol-gasolfne fuel
ioes not require an increase in the oil
supply, its use does necessitate that
the fabrication system be carefully
watched: that Is, with the splash or
slmbination splash and force feed that
the maximum level be constantly
maintained
According to advices received from
France, experience has demonstrated
that the mixture is practical, that
tests lasing for two months have
indicated that the use Of alcohol as
a fuel removes any carbon pre-
viously existing, and that. after
disassembling the engine, 1t was
found the valves. pistons, rings
and cylinders were clean and
in excellent condition. 1t is said
that part of the lubricating oil slight
" enriches the mixture. Tests demon
strated the carbon-removing possioih-
ties Of carbureted alcohol. II cleansing
an engine in about three hours.
Relative to a mixture Of benzol and
alcohol, IL is said it can be made in
all proportions. In utilizing 1t, the air
may be diminished in the proportion
that the alcohol Is increased. Benzol
is soluble in alcohol in all proportions,
and one may augment or diminish the
proportion of benzol according to the
rise and fall of its price. in order that
the price OF the resulting fuel may be
as low as possible. The more alcohol
rsed, the more the benzoi-alcohol mix
ture resembles that Of the alcohol
gasoline combination previously al
luded to. When the proportion or
benzol is largely increased the result
ing mixture takes on the character
istics obtained with gasoline.
Among the sources Of fuel supply
for internal combustion engines, and
one that is not generally known 10
the average user Of gasoline Is nat
ural gas. 1t is interesting to note
that this industry. which Is one OF
considerable size when it is consid-
cred that 1t contributed something like
IO4.212 ,s09 gallons Of fuel in 1sl6, in
creased its production over 50 per
cent, or, in other words, 3S,s4S,144 more
gallons were produced than during
1913. These amounts are indicated In
the report made by John d. Northrop,
Of the United States Geological Sur
yey. Department of the Interior. and
show the marked expansion in the
natural gas industry in the United
States.
The amount produced or raw gaso-
line extracted from natural gas, In
cludes that produced by the compress
sion and absorption methods, as well
as that obtained by the use of vacuum
pumps and recovered as drips from
gas transmission lines. The quantity
OF commercial gasoline represented oy
this output of raw casing-nead
product, though not susceptible OF
actual determination. probably was
more than 200 1000 gallons. The ris-
ing or Increased cost of fuel is re-
nected in the prices obtained Tor the
natural gas gasoline, the average
price received in 1916 for the unolend-
ed product at the sources OF produc-
ton was Il cents a gallon, and the
market value Of the entire output was
S14. 4OS, ,aO1, a gain of cents in average
unit price and OF $9,257,S7s, or $50 per
cent, in total value. compared with
1915.
To obtain the fuel above referred to
required 2Os, 500 900 600 cubic feet, and
il is estimated that the average re-
covery of gasoline per 1000 cubic feet
by all methods in practice Is about
nalf a gallon. other statistics Of this
Industry are interesting. For example:
There are now 594 plants engaged in
this work; that is. there were that
many at the end of 1916. This repre-
sents a gain of 43 per cent. The aver
age daily capacity Of all plants, COM
oined daily capacity, has increased
about los per cent. or from 49, to
iSi,4 gallons. From these figures II
very evident that the natural gas
zasoIine industry is factor in the
production of fuel for internal COM
oustion engines.