P-series fuels
Encyclopedia
P-Series fuels are a family of renewable
, non-petroleum, liquid fuels that can substitute for gasoline
. It is a mixture of ethanol
, methyltetrahydrofuran
(MeTHF), "pentanes
-plus" , and butane
. The formulas can be adjusted for cold weather and for 'premium' blends. Approximately 35% of the blend is or can be created from waste products of other industrial processes. It was originally developed by brothers Scott and Doug Dunlop, the co - founders of the Pure Energy Corporation and optimized by Dr. Stephen F. Paul
of Princeton University
. It was patented in 1997 (US 5,697,987) by Dr. Paul and assigned to Princeton University. Simultaneously, the Pure Energy Corporation was granted an exclusive license to commercialize P-Series fuels. Responding to a petition submitted by the Pure Energy Corporation, the DOE
proposed in 1998 that P-Series be recognized as an alternative fuel in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (see the Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 144/Tuesday, July 28, 1998/Proposed Rules, page 40202.) The final rule designating P-Series as an EPACT alternative fuel was published in the following year, (see the Federal Register/Vol. 64, No. 94/Monday, May 17, 1999/Rules and Regulations, page 26822.)
In addition to the patent, the other publication detailing the P-Series fuels was Dr. Paul's 1998 paper entitled: An Optimized Alternative Motor Fuel Formulation: Natural Gas Liquids Ethanol And A Biomass-Derived Ether, which appeared in the Proceedings of the American Chemical Society Division of Fuel Chemistry, Fuels for the Year 2000 and Beyond, 216th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, August 23-27, Boston, 1998 43(3), p. 373-377.
Most flexible fuel vehicles capable of running on E85
should also be able to handle P-Series fuel.
The projected retail price will be about 10% less than gasoline. As of October 2010 it is not available to the general public.
Renewable fuels
Renewable fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels Renewable fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels Renewable fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels (eg. Vegetable oil used as fuel,...
, non-petroleum, liquid fuels that can substitute for gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
. It is a mixture of ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, methyltetrahydrofuran
2-Methyltetrahydrofuran
2-Methyltetrahydrofuran is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3C4H7O. It is a highly flammable mobile liquid. It is mainly used as a replacement for THF in specialized applications for its better performance, such as to obtain higher reaction temperatures, or easier separations due to...
(MeTHF), "pentanes
Pentane
Pentane is an organic compound with the formula C5H12 — that is, an alkane with five carbon atoms. The term may refer to any of three structural isomers, or to a mixture of them: in the IUPAC nomenclature, however, pentane means exclusively the n-pentane isomer; the other two being called...
-plus" , and butane
Butane
Butane is a gas with the formula C4H10 that is an alkane with four carbon atoms. The term may refer to any of two structural isomers, or to a mixture of them: in the IUPAC nomenclature, however, butane refers only to the unbranched n-butane isomer; the other one being called "methylpropane" or...
. The formulas can be adjusted for cold weather and for 'premium' blends. Approximately 35% of the blend is or can be created from waste products of other industrial processes. It was originally developed by brothers Scott and Doug Dunlop, the co - founders of the Pure Energy Corporation and optimized by Dr. Stephen F. Paul
Stephen Paul (physicist)
Stephen F. Paul is a physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University. He created and patented the P-series fuels, a new, liquid, renewable, non-petroleum gasoline formulation. He is in the process converting an unused sludge plant in Trenton, NJ to process organic...
of Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. It was patented in 1997 (US 5,697,987) by Dr. Paul and assigned to Princeton University. Simultaneously, the Pure Energy Corporation was granted an exclusive license to commercialize P-Series fuels. Responding to a petition submitted by the Pure Energy Corporation, the DOE
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
proposed in 1998 that P-Series be recognized as an alternative fuel in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (see the Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 144/Tuesday, July 28, 1998/Proposed Rules, page 40202.) The final rule designating P-Series as an EPACT alternative fuel was published in the following year, (see the Federal Register/Vol. 64, No. 94/Monday, May 17, 1999/Rules and Regulations, page 26822.)
In addition to the patent, the other publication detailing the P-Series fuels was Dr. Paul's 1998 paper entitled: An Optimized Alternative Motor Fuel Formulation: Natural Gas Liquids Ethanol And A Biomass-Derived Ether, which appeared in the Proceedings of the American Chemical Society Division of Fuel Chemistry, Fuels for the Year 2000 and Beyond, 216th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, August 23-27, Boston, 1998 43(3), p. 373-377.
Overview
A multi-component, liquid, non-petroleum, alternative motor fuel for spark ignition engines has been developed. The fuel is composed of approximately equal volumes of (1 )medium-molecular weight alkanes, isoalkanes, and cycloalkanes (C5 - C8) which are extracted in the course of coalbed gas or natural gas production and/or processing, (2) anhydrous fermentation ethanol, and (3) 2-methylTHF, a biomass-derived heterocyclic ether. The ether serves as a co-solvent that reduces the volatility of the ethanol/hydrocarbon blend. The formulation can be adjusted to vary the fuel characteristics over a range to formulate winter/summer and regular/premium grades:87-94octane; 0.74-0.78 specific gravity; and 6.5 - 13.5 psi Reid vapor pressure. P-Series fuels contain little or no sulfur, phosphorus, aromatics, olefins, or high-boiling-point hydrocarbons, but does contain 11 - 19% oxygen (by weight), with a corresponding reduction in heat content (100,000 - 106,000 BTU/gal). This fuel has been tested in unmodified 1996 and 1997 Ford Taurus ethanol-Flexible Fuel Vehicles. They vehicles come equipped with a fuel sensor that automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio to optimize running on a particular fuel. Emissions testing (USEPA's FTP protocol) show the following differences in the tailpipe exhaust characteristics (compared to conventional gasoline): 40 - 50% less unburned hydrocarbons, 20% less CO, no significant change in NOx, 4% less COz, 40% less ozone-forming potential, and 2 - 3 times less toxicity.Most flexible fuel vehicles capable of running on E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
should also be able to handle P-Series fuel.
The projected retail price will be about 10% less than gasoline. As of October 2010 it is not available to the general public.