1) The Godfather
2) The Pianist
3) 3 Iron
4) 13 Tzameti
5) Kaminey
6) Schindler's List
7) The Downfall (Der Untergang)
8) City of God (Cidade de Deus)
9) The Elite Force (Tropa de Elite)
10) Crimson Tide
11) Crimson Gold
12) Black Friday
13) The Bourne Ultimatum
14) Munich
15) Letters from Iwo Jima
16) Saving Private Ryan
17) The Good the Bad and the Ugly
18) Pursuit of Happyness
19) The Lives of Others (Das leben der Anderen)
20) Gandhi
21) The Day After Tomorrow
22) The Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri)
23) The Motorcycle Diaries
24) Song of Sparrows
25) WALL .E
26) The Dark Knight
27) Se7en
28) The Bucket List
29) A Wednesday
30) The Age of Stupid
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Big Debate
Global Warming and Climate Change, is perhaps humankind's biggest threat looming just around the corner trying to ring the alarm bell or rather is ringing and we are failing to notice it. Well time and again, this has been a pot boiler in many international climate summits, the recent one being UN Climate Summit which concluded late last month in New York.
What's the debate about?
The above stated question is one which I came across many a number of times and of late I started wondering the same. Basically it goes this way, most of the economies including ours, today are concerned about one thing, "Economy and consumerism." Consumerism is one religion or cult which encompasses the entire globe without racial or religious bias. It was very interesting for me when I first came to know that an average twenty year old in a country like US is accustomed with more than 20,000 business logos and must have used the products of at least 1/10th of them and I am pretty much sure that the scenario in countries like India and China, the so called developing economies is far from better.
Consumerism gives everyone their fair share?
Well, the answer to this question would be a definite 'no'. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in late 1800's, the big five of the world have gulped the major chunk of the planet's resources. The remaining tid bits are left for grabs among the developing and undeveloped countries. It would be ironic to know that US which accounts for less than 10% of the world's population accounts for 30% of energy consumption and Europe is not far behind. Till recently most of our political and economical stalwarts all over were of the opinion that when it comes to economy or environment, it is the economy that always deserves a head start. But things lately have started to change, the best example example being the UN Secretary General himself saying and as I quote, "The world's glaciers are now melting faster than human progress to protect them — or us." This was probably one part of the brighter side of the Summit, while the other side being the one those who acknowledged and shared his gloom.
Coming back to the big debate question, when things are put in a sharp and crisp way straight from the gut it comes down to this; The big brothers tell the younger ones, "You guys cannot exploit the natural resources the same way as we used and ruined them. Instead you have to cap your greenhouse emissions putting forward your development at risk while we reap the benefits of our misdeeds and you pay for them."
The above of is a classical example of the English saying, "One man's meat is another man's poison." which is totally unacceptable to economies like China, India, Brazil etc. which have to start to expand their horizons recently. But they like the bolt from the blue set forward postulates by agreeing to cut down their emissions and there by adding up more pressure on 'The Big Brother' to cut down his'. However, it was interesting that President Obama even after quoting John F. Kennedy, "our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.", couldn't offer the solution or rather a firm resolution that was expected from him and his nation.
With less than 11 weeks remaining for the final round of talks at Copenhagen, Denmark a lot has been in the left in the open irresolute and to debate on. The Big Debate rages on.
What's the debate about?
The above stated question is one which I came across many a number of times and of late I started wondering the same. Basically it goes this way, most of the economies including ours, today are concerned about one thing, "Economy and consumerism." Consumerism is one religion or cult which encompasses the entire globe without racial or religious bias. It was very interesting for me when I first came to know that an average twenty year old in a country like US is accustomed with more than 20,000 business logos and must have used the products of at least 1/10th of them and I am pretty much sure that the scenario in countries like India and China, the so called developing economies is far from better.
Consumerism gives everyone their fair share?
Well, the answer to this question would be a definite 'no'. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in late 1800's, the big five of the world have gulped the major chunk of the planet's resources. The remaining tid bits are left for grabs among the developing and undeveloped countries. It would be ironic to know that US which accounts for less than 10% of the world's population accounts for 30% of energy consumption and Europe is not far behind. Till recently most of our political and economical stalwarts all over were of the opinion that when it comes to economy or environment, it is the economy that always deserves a head start. But things lately have started to change, the best example example being the UN Secretary General himself saying and as I quote, "The world's glaciers are now melting faster than human progress to protect them — or us." This was probably one part of the brighter side of the Summit, while the other side being the one those who acknowledged and shared his gloom.
Coming back to the big debate question, when things are put in a sharp and crisp way straight from the gut it comes down to this; The big brothers tell the younger ones, "You guys cannot exploit the natural resources the same way as we used and ruined them. Instead you have to cap your greenhouse emissions putting forward your development at risk while we reap the benefits of our misdeeds and you pay for them."
The above of is a classical example of the English saying, "One man's meat is another man's poison." which is totally unacceptable to economies like China, India, Brazil etc. which have to start to expand their horizons recently. But they like the bolt from the blue set forward postulates by agreeing to cut down their emissions and there by adding up more pressure on 'The Big Brother' to cut down his'. However, it was interesting that President Obama even after quoting John F. Kennedy, "our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.", couldn't offer the solution or rather a firm resolution that was expected from him and his nation.
With less than 11 weeks remaining for the final round of talks at Copenhagen, Denmark a lot has been in the left in the open irresolute and to debate on. The Big Debate rages on.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Hmmm Let's Think
Hmmm Let's think, I guess this is one common statement we all make. The reason I'm putting this up today, after a good long six month hiatus, no wonder makes feel "Hmmm let me think".
Hovering around in front of my PC, I have been wondering, what was I doing all these days. Frankly speaking I haven't written anything substantial for over a year now. So, this evening after more than 4 days of consideration and serious thought I would pen down anything that comes to mind and I guess I'm half successful in doing it already. Of late, I have been wondering why is that we all ponder much and still end up nowhere. I mean this question has been lingering in my already confused mind for over a long time, and I'm still clueless regarding what am I really looking for out there.
Let me guess, when was the last time I ever did something for the first time, I guess it was last December when I brought mom a gift for her B'Day. Gosh! Now that's a long time in any book, be it yours or mine. See I guess halfway down this post you might have guessed, "What the hell is this guy writing and what is that he wants to write about?" And frankly speaking I don't blame for thinking about it, because I really I'm really don't know why and what I am writing as of now. But all in all I would still go ahead and will certainly call this a random thought that comes, say randomly random. Try penning it down like the way I did just now [need not exactly be on a blog, you can try a notebook also ;)].
The only point I'm trying to make here is "If your life worth thinking about then its worth writing about."
P.S : The above quote if from the book "Who will cry when you die?" by Robin Sharma, but above written nonsense or sense is entirely mine. But the quote is applicable to each one of us :)
Hovering around in front of my PC, I have been wondering, what was I doing all these days. Frankly speaking I haven't written anything substantial for over a year now. So, this evening after more than 4 days of consideration and serious thought I would pen down anything that comes to mind and I guess I'm half successful in doing it already. Of late, I have been wondering why is that we all ponder much and still end up nowhere. I mean this question has been lingering in my already confused mind for over a long time, and I'm still clueless regarding what am I really looking for out there.
Let me guess, when was the last time I ever did something for the first time, I guess it was last December when I brought mom a gift for her B'Day. Gosh! Now that's a long time in any book, be it yours or mine. See I guess halfway down this post you might have guessed, "What the hell is this guy writing and what is that he wants to write about?" And frankly speaking I don't blame for thinking about it, because I really I'm really don't know why and what I am writing as of now. But all in all I would still go ahead and will certainly call this a random thought that comes, say randomly random. Try penning it down like the way I did just now [need not exactly be on a blog, you can try a notebook also ;)].
The only point I'm trying to make here is "If your life worth thinking about then its worth writing about."
P.S : The above quote if from the book "Who will cry when you die?" by Robin Sharma, but above written nonsense or sense is entirely mine. But the quote is applicable to each one of us :)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Are We Really Shining?
My exams just got over this evening. Of course they went well. Anyways coming to the hotboard now, the other day (around a week ago) I was watching some random program on the Discovery Channel. Some story on 'Megacities' was being aired. They were showing about the rapid pace at which cities in Asia and South America were growing. That episode's prime focus was Shanghai, a well known city in the China and a popular business hub in South Asia. It is analogous to our very own Mumbai. The only difference between the two cities, one is in reaping China and other is in red tape India.
Intros aside, the interesting fact is that Shanghai is going to host the World Expo in 2010. "World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is the occasion for China to bring the world at home, and for the world to feel at home in China. By dedicating a 5.28-square-kilometer area at the core of the city to exhibitions, events and forums on the Expo theme, "Better City, Better Life," Shanghai hopes to build a powerful and lasting pilot example of sustainable and harmonious urban living[1].
The rate at which this city is growing is really alarming in the Indian perspective at least. China frankly speaking is growing by leaps and bounds, the pace at which they are growing is such that even the West has started to take notice of it.I hope most of you are aware of the longest Trans-Oceanic Bridge built by the Chinese on the Hangzhou Bay in a record time of less than 5 years. The bridge connects the municipalities of Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang province[2]. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge connects Cixi City, west of Ningbo, to Jiaxing. Whereas previously the trip from Ningbo to Shanghai and southern Jiangsu involved a detour of around 400 km (249 mi), the bridge reduces that distance to 80 km (50 mi), a reduction of 320 km (199 mi)[3]. Now that's staggering.
If that was the Chinese scenario, the Indian scenario is more bleak and pale I would rather say its impalpable. Any idea about the Trans-Harbour bridge in Mumbai. Well if you guys aren't aware of it then it is a 22.5Km long bridge that is supposed to connect South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Ironically this bridge lingering in shadows for 35years. Phew! Thats too long a time. Finally the contract has been awarded to a private party in 2006. The bridge is presently is construction phase.
The above is a literal example of the sorry state of affairs that take place in this country. And ironically we people still say "India Shining". I'm not talking only about the infrastructure side of the story, the above is only a citation in the long list of unfinished businesses in this country which includes everything from basic needs to urban growth. How well it is shining is a matter of concern. So, next time if you are saying India is Shining, well I would say compare ourselves with countries like China or America and then try to repeat your words.
References:
[1] http://en.expo2010.cn/oe/indexn.htm
[2] Wikipeida
[3] Wikipedia
Intros aside, the interesting fact is that Shanghai is going to host the World Expo in 2010. "World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is the occasion for China to bring the world at home, and for the world to feel at home in China. By dedicating a 5.28-square-kilometer area at the core of the city to exhibitions, events and forums on the Expo theme, "Better City, Better Life," Shanghai hopes to build a powerful and lasting pilot example of sustainable and harmonious urban living[1].
The rate at which this city is growing is really alarming in the Indian perspective at least. China frankly speaking is growing by leaps and bounds, the pace at which they are growing is such that even the West has started to take notice of it.I hope most of you are aware of the longest Trans-Oceanic Bridge built by the Chinese on the Hangzhou Bay in a record time of less than 5 years. The bridge connects the municipalities of Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang province[2]. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge connects Cixi City, west of Ningbo, to Jiaxing. Whereas previously the trip from Ningbo to Shanghai and southern Jiangsu involved a detour of around 400 km (249 mi), the bridge reduces that distance to 80 km (50 mi), a reduction of 320 km (199 mi)[3]. Now that's staggering.
If that was the Chinese scenario, the Indian scenario is more bleak and pale I would rather say its impalpable. Any idea about the Trans-Harbour bridge in Mumbai. Well if you guys aren't aware of it then it is a 22.5Km long bridge that is supposed to connect South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Ironically this bridge lingering in shadows for 35years. Phew! Thats too long a time. Finally the contract has been awarded to a private party in 2006. The bridge is presently is construction phase.
The above is a literal example of the sorry state of affairs that take place in this country. And ironically we people still say "India Shining". I'm not talking only about the infrastructure side of the story, the above is only a citation in the long list of unfinished businesses in this country which includes everything from basic needs to urban growth. How well it is shining is a matter of concern. So, next time if you are saying India is Shining, well I would say compare ourselves with countries like China or America and then try to repeat your words.
References:
[1] http://en.expo2010.cn/oe/indexn.htm
[2] Wikipeida
[3] Wikipedia
Saturday, June 21, 2008
My new story... The Making
Guys after a long break I'm back with my new story The Making...from now i'll make it a point to update my blog every week mostly on the weekends....
here's the link for the story and i am also providing the pologue of the story
Prologue
The gunshots sounded like a bomber emptying its belly onto the earth below. Each gunshot pounded his ear again and again since the last twenty years. The sight of seeing loved ones fall dead in front of you is heart rendering. He has witnessed death in its closet possible manner. His mother ran into the house quickly, picked him up with all the energy left in her and pushed him up into the attic. But the glass of the window which the attic faced was not sufficient to hold the bullet, it struck its target, as soon as he got onto the attic his mother fell dead. But amid all the pandemonium he managed to see his mother’s killer’s forearm and a serpent’s tattoo on it and the sniper disappeared the very next moment.
download link :
http://rapidshare.com/files/124029325/The_Making_prin.doc.html
here's the link for the story and i am also providing the pologue of the story
Prologue
The gunshots sounded like a bomber emptying its belly onto the earth below. Each gunshot pounded his ear again and again since the last twenty years. The sight of seeing loved ones fall dead in front of you is heart rendering. He has witnessed death in its closet possible manner. His mother ran into the house quickly, picked him up with all the energy left in her and pushed him up into the attic. But the glass of the window which the attic faced was not sufficient to hold the bullet, it struck its target, as soon as he got onto the attic his mother fell dead. But amid all the pandemonium he managed to see his mother’s killer’s forearm and a serpent’s tattoo on it and the sniper disappeared the very next moment.
download link :
http://rapidshare.com/files/124029325/The_Making_prin.doc.html
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Platform No.7
Winter, the first thing it reminds us is of cold breeze and snow fall. Rajith was pacing up fast in his walk, dejected, he felt the pain of bearing the whole weight of earth on his young shoulders. Armed with a mechanical engineering degree, he set out to make it big in this world of intriguing gadgets and gizmos. His project was called off due to funds and the storm in his life has bagun. The "cooooooo" of the train's siren was audible from half a kilometre. He began run in order not to miss the penultimate train back home. The last would arrive an hour later, it was already eleven in the night then. Things weren't going his way that day, he missed the ride home.
He was visibly shaken that day following the events that took place earlier in the day, so, missing a train wasn't much of a pain. he bought the ticket and headed over the flyover bridge to Platform No.7, he placed himself on the bench and bowed his head down as if he were the world's biggest loser.
The clock ticked by and every second pained him terribly, he never lost something so far, but at certain times somethings in life happen for the first time. This was his first. The wind beagn to grow thick and fast, it picked up fallen leaves on it way an they began to sway as if they were dancing to its tuning with glee and merry. It was fifteen minutes since his arrival, he was still lost in thoughts, pensive.
The giggle, a smile of opposite gender distracted him from his moody ponder, a welcome distraction. The girl clad in red, was addressing her friend on her way down the flight of stairs that made way to platform below. She was smiling, a smile that had something in it, something that stole Ranjith's immediate attention. All of a sudden, his mood of pensive and thoughtful attitude seemed to be lost for his own good. but there was something wrong about her, something lacked in her but she seemed not to taken nothice of it, she was happy the way she was. Unfortunately nothing in this world was perfect, so was she. She was handicaped. She was a victim of polio, had difficulty in walking. But She was happy, the way she lived her life was something that caught the attention of Rajith.
From the moment she arrived on the platform, he kept his gaze towards with acute interest. Her benevolent manner of addressing things, her independency and over coming the deficiency, made him feel better. Her independency was something that really kept him stick to her. The night was growing cold as the minutes passed by, it was drawing close to midnight, the train was due for arrival any moment.
He picked up his guts, he got up from his bench and started moving towards her direction. He face now revealed a new and more passionable look, with full of life totally in contrast to what was an hour ago. A totally transformed and confident young man. He headed towards her and finally opened his mouth to speak, the first since hours.
He was straight into the topic, "Hello lady", was a nice way to begin and she looked at him in a totally different yet gleeful manner.
"Yes", she said in reply in a voice that touched the inner of the listener.
"You rock. Be happy and keep smiling", he said. Just then the trained broke through the wind and its siren disturbing the silence, all of a sudden everything seemed to be happening.
He turned towards the train and in a final turn backwards he said, "Thanks for teaching me about life".
After those final words he headed to his trains and got resurrected.
We all live life in our own ways... but sometimes it takes someone else to teach us the way to live and love it.... He learnt it from her...Its not something that makes life unworthy of living but it is we who make it...
Live it and Enjoy it coz...Life is Worth Living and Be postive and confident....[:)]
He was visibly shaken that day following the events that took place earlier in the day, so, missing a train wasn't much of a pain. he bought the ticket and headed over the flyover bridge to Platform No.7, he placed himself on the bench and bowed his head down as if he were the world's biggest loser.
The clock ticked by and every second pained him terribly, he never lost something so far, but at certain times somethings in life happen for the first time. This was his first. The wind beagn to grow thick and fast, it picked up fallen leaves on it way an they began to sway as if they were dancing to its tuning with glee and merry. It was fifteen minutes since his arrival, he was still lost in thoughts, pensive.
The giggle, a smile of opposite gender distracted him from his moody ponder, a welcome distraction. The girl clad in red, was addressing her friend on her way down the flight of stairs that made way to platform below. She was smiling, a smile that had something in it, something that stole Ranjith's immediate attention. All of a sudden, his mood of pensive and thoughtful attitude seemed to be lost for his own good. but there was something wrong about her, something lacked in her but she seemed not to taken nothice of it, she was happy the way she was. Unfortunately nothing in this world was perfect, so was she. She was handicaped. She was a victim of polio, had difficulty in walking. But She was happy, the way she lived her life was something that caught the attention of Rajith.
From the moment she arrived on the platform, he kept his gaze towards with acute interest. Her benevolent manner of addressing things, her independency and over coming the deficiency, made him feel better. Her independency was something that really kept him stick to her. The night was growing cold as the minutes passed by, it was drawing close to midnight, the train was due for arrival any moment.
He picked up his guts, he got up from his bench and started moving towards her direction. He face now revealed a new and more passionable look, with full of life totally in contrast to what was an hour ago. A totally transformed and confident young man. He headed towards her and finally opened his mouth to speak, the first since hours.
He was straight into the topic, "Hello lady", was a nice way to begin and she looked at him in a totally different yet gleeful manner.
"Yes", she said in reply in a voice that touched the inner of the listener.
"You rock. Be happy and keep smiling", he said. Just then the trained broke through the wind and its siren disturbing the silence, all of a sudden everything seemed to be happening.
He turned towards the train and in a final turn backwards he said, "Thanks for teaching me about life".
After those final words he headed to his trains and got resurrected.
We all live life in our own ways... but sometimes it takes someone else to teach us the way to live and love it.... He learnt it from her...Its not something that makes life unworthy of living but it is we who make it...
Live it and Enjoy it coz...Life is Worth Living and Be postive and confident....[:)]
Friday, December 14, 2007
Alternate Fuels
Introduction
Petrol and Diesel are obtained from the crude oil after a pain sticking extraction process. Petrol and Diesel are generally fossil fuels, these are non-renewable. The main producers are generally called as OPEC nations. However, it has been concluded in a recently conducted survey that the oil wells in the Gulf region would run dry by the year 2016. The present stocks would last till 2050 at the maximum.
The research into alternate fuel sources started way back in the 1980’s. After more than two and a half decades of extensive research and development, today we have fuel sources that can be used as substitutes for conventional fuels. These fuels are easy to manufacture and are easily renewable too.
Their main advantages lie in their ability to enhance engine performance and at the same time curtail the exhaust gases content thus, limiting the NOx and COx emissions. Another added advantage of alternate fuels is the lower sulphur content in the fuel in relative comparison with conventional diesel and petrol. This reduces the wear of the engine components due to acidic action of sulphur and corrosion.
Methanol (CH3OH)
Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can be used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85 (a blend of 85% methanol and 15% gasoline). However, it is not commonly used because automakers are no longer supplying methanol-powered vehicles.
Methanol is predominantly produced by steam reforming of natural gas to create a synthesis gas (combination of CO and H2), which is then fed into a reactor vessel in the presence of a catalyst to produce methanol and water vapor. Although a variety of feedstocks other than natural gas can and have been used, today's economics favor natural gas.
Methanol can be used to make methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate which is blended with gasoline to enhance octane and create cleaner burning fuel. MTBE production and use has declined because it has been found to contaminate ground water.
The main benefits of methanol include the following:
I)Lower emissions, higher performance and lower risk of flammability than gasoline.
II)Can be manufactured from a variety of sources such as carbon-based feedstock such as natural gas, coal, and biomass.
III)In addition, methanol can easily be made into hydrogen. In the future this could well be used to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cell electric vehicles.
But the black mark in methanol is the high production of formaldehyde emissions.
Methanol and Ethanol have the same chemical properties.
Natural Gas (incl. CNG and LPG):-
Natural gas is domestically produced and readily available to end-users through the utility infrastructure. It is also clean burning and produces significantly fewer harmful emissions than reformulated gasoline or diesel when used in natural gas vehicles.
Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons—mainly methane (CH4)—and is produced either from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. Natural gas is consumed in the residential, commercial, industrial, and utility markets.
The interest in natural gas as an alternative fuel stems mainly from its clean burning qualities, its domestic resource base, and its commercial availability to end users. Because of the gaseous nature of this fuel, it must be stored onboard a vehicle in either a compressed gaseous state (CNG) or in a liquefied state (LNG) or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The main constituent of natural gas is methane, which is a relatively unreactive hydrocarbon. Natural gas as delivered through the pipeline system also contains hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane; and other gases such as nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and water vapour.
CNG Characteristics:
Zero Sulphur
Low particulate emissions (NOx)
No evaporative emissions
Less CO2 per GJ of fuel than petrol fuels
High Octane: RON 120-130
Higher Calorific value than gasoline
Commercial expansion
Over 600,000 vehicles worldwide
CNG is most popular in European countries like Italy, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, Belarus and Sweden.
LPG Characteristics:
Low Sulphur
Octane: RON 100
Lower emissions than gasoline
Low NOx
2.5 million Cars in Europe run on LPG
Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and France are the countries where LPG is a popular fuel
Globally: 1% of the vehicles run on LPG, LPG is now a days becoming popular in India also
LPG vehicles reduce harmful pollutants by 80-95% when compared to gasoline.
Note: For equivalent range of distance to be covered, the CNG has an additional fuel volume capacity of nearly 4.3 times than diesel.
P-Series
P-Series fuel is a unique blend of natural gas liquids (pentanes plus), ethanol, and the biomass-derived co-solvent methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF). P-Series fuels are clear, colorless, 89-93 octane, liquid blends that are formulated to be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFV's). P-Series are designed to be used alone or freely mixed with gasoline in any proportion inside the FFV's gas tank. These fuels are not currently being produced in large quantities and are not widely used.
Biodiesel
What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel (fatty acid alkyl esters) is a cleaner burning diesel replacement fuel made from natural, renewable sources such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats. Just like petroleum diesel, biodiesel operates in compression-ignition engines.
Biodiesel fuel can be made from new or used vegetable oils and animal fats, which are nontoxic, biodegradable, renewable resources. Fats and oils are chemically reacted with an alcohol (methanol is the usual choice) to produce chemical compounds known as fatty acid methyl esters. Biodiesel is the name given to these esters when they're intended for use as fuel. Mostly soya bean is used in its production and glycerol is obtained as a by product.
Biodiesel in Internal Combustion Engines
The cetane number of biodiesel is around 47-49 whereas for ordinary diesel it is around 42-44. Hence, biodiesel has better anti-knocking qualities.
There a numerous number of advantages as well as drawbacks of using Biodiesel as a fuel in IC Engines. Basically speaking of the advantages obtained is as follows:-
Biodiesel has the same vehicular performance as diesel in mild temperature, and actually performs better than diesel in cold temperatures.
Current engines do not require any modifications to use biodiesel as opposed to diesel.
Their environmental benefits include lesser emissions of carbondioxide. In fact neat biodiesel (100% biodiesel) reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75% over petroleum diesel, they are completely renewable.
Helps conserve natural resources: for every unit of energy needed to produce biodiesel, an additional 3.24 units are created.
But using blends of biodiesel would lower the CO2 by only 15% unlike B100 where the emissions are reduced by a staggering 75%.
It has also been detected from various tests that use of biodiesel would advance the injection timing by 4degress of Crank Angle (CA), using pure blends of biodiesel B100 whereas the advance of injection is only 1 CA while using other blends of biodiesel and diesel. Hence, biodiesel results in obtaining higher peak pressures and thus a higher power output. This was concluded after a number tests were conducted on a 4-stroke, single cylinder, air cooled and 4hp diesel engine. Comparisons of injection timing and duration were performed for diesel fuel and a range of biodiesel blends (B20 to B100). The fuel injector on a 4-stroke, single-cylinder, four horsepower, air-cooled, direct injection diesel engine was positioned in a spray chamber while the engine was motored and fuel was delivered to the injector by the fuel pump on the engine. Spray visualization and quantification of injection timing were performed in the spray chamber using an engine videoscope, light attenuation from a He-Ne laser and fuel line pressure, and were synchronized to crank shaft position.
Biodiesel fuels are widely known to yield an increase in NOx emissions in many diesel engines. It has been suggested that the increase in NOx is due to injection timing differences caused by the low compressibility of biodiesel.
For biodiesel the Nett Heat of Combustion is 37.2MJ/kg whereas for diesel it is 42.91MJ/kg.
Ethanol (C2H5OH)
What is Ethanol?
Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Feedstock for this fuel includes corn, barley, and wheat. Ethanol can also be produced from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and grasses and is called bioethanol. Ethanol is most commonly used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline.
Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. This is most common blend of ethanol and also the most effective.
Ethanol is perhaps the most widely used alternate fuel presently in the world.
Properties of Ethanol in comparison with gasoline
Density
(kg/l) Viscosity
(mm2/ s) Calorific Value
(MJ/Kg) Flash Point
( oC) Octane Number
(RON) Equivalence
Petrol or Gasoline 0.76 0.6 42.7 <21 92/91 1
Ethanol 0.79 1.5 26.8 <21 116/129 0.65
From the above data it can be inferred that due to higher RON ethanol has better anti-knocking qualities than regular gasoline. And from the column Equivalence we can see that for 1litre of gasoline one would require only 0.65litres of ethanol.
Mainly ethanol is used in SI engines than CI engines. It is being mainly used as a racing fuel owing to its higher RON, higher power outputs and reduced emissions. It is mainly used as a fuel in racing cars and in countries like Brazil it is being used as a fuel for transportation vehicles. The elaborate reason is as follows:-
HORSEPOWER: Following various tests it has been observed that ethanol has an ability to deliver higher power outputs as the nett energy released per cycle. This is because of the presence of oxygen which results in better combustion of the charge. But ethanol must be used at higher fuel-air ratios because of low energy per unit volume value.
For example, if gasoline is run at its preferred max power air fuel mixture of 12.5/1, it will release approximately 19,000 BTU's of energy, where ethanol run at its preferred power stoichiometric of 6.5/1 will release approximately 24,400 BTU's. By comparison, methanol releases slightly more, about 27,650 BTU's. The more ethanol there is in gasoline, the more powerful it is as a motor fuel. But Methanol is more toxic and corrosive than ethanol.
Typically, one can expect at least 5% more horsepower at the rear wheels of a vehicle running on E-85 than running the vehicle on gasoline alone.
Note: 1 BTU = 1059.67J = 1.059KJ.
INCREASED ENGINE LIFE: Ethanol has a very high MON octane rating, allowing engine builders to run higher compression ratios without fears of destructive detonation. It also has a very high Latent Heat of Vaporization, so the engine is cooled far better than one running on gasoline. This lowers bottom end and oiling system temperatures substantially.
REDUCED EMISSIONS: Although reducing emissions usually will not directly affect the on-track performance of a race car, engine parts like pistons and valves tend to stay cleaner. More importantly, there are serious health concerns with many of the octane boosting additives that must be added to gasoline in order make them more compatible with higher compression engines. Ethanol fumes are also non-toxic.
BURNING RATE: It is the speed at which a fuel burns and releases its heat energy. At higher RPM's there is less time for fuel to burn, so racing fuels tend to work better if they have a rapid burning rate. If a fuel can be almost completely burned by the time the crankshaft is 20 degrees after TDC (Top Dead Center) on the engine power stroke, peak horsepower and engine efficiency are realized.
Fuel Octane (R+M/2) Octane (MON) Burning Rate (ms @ stoich. mixture) Latent Heat (BTU/gal) Energy Value BTU/Lb Power Stoichio-metric Nett Energy MJ/kg
Pure Ethanol 113 102 .39 396 13,160 6.5/1 3.00
Pure Methanol N/A 103 .43 503 10,260 5/1 3.08
Pump Gasoline 86-93 80-90 .34 150 18,700-19,100 12.5/1 2.92
E-85 103-109 99-100 .38 359 (approx) 14,021 (approx) 7.4/1 2.99
Where,
BTU/gal – British Thermal Units/ Gallon; BTU/lb – British Thermal Units/ Pound
RON: Research Octane Number, MON: Motor Octane Number
Octane Number of fuel = (RON+MON)/2
British Thermal Units are the standard measuring units.
We know that ethanol and methanol have same chemical properties but methanol is not preferred for the following reasons:-
ETHANOL IS LESS CORROSIVE: Ethanol is less corrosive to most fuel delivery system components than methanol. This is due in part to the higher oxygen content of methanol. However, certain materials that may be used as sealers or glue in methanol-compatible fuel cells may not be compatible with ethanol. There are solutions to this problem that are being developed for the IRL (Indy Racing League) series that will be running pure ethanol in the 2007 season.
ETHANOL IS NON-TOXIC: Ethanol is really grain alcohol-the kind present in all alcoholic beverages. In order to be legally transported, it must contain a "denaturing agent" (poison) which is usually ordinary gasoline. By comparison, methanol (wood alcohol) is toxic and is harmful or fatal if swallowed. When blended with gasoline, methanol releases formaldehyde in passenger cars until the catalytic converter warms up. This is the reason why automobile manufacturers do not recommend more than 5% of methanol (by concentration) in their cars. However, all car manufacturers have approved ethanol-enhanced gasoline, up to 85% ethanol content in "Flexible Fuel Vehicles"
Note: Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV’s) are the vehicles which are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85% ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models. The manufacturers include the lights of automotive giants like General Motors (GM), Honda and Toyota etc.
No fuel is completely perfect and so is Ethanol, it has the following disadvantages: -
•Invisible flame which can cause safety problems and fires.
•It gives higher unregulated emissions of acetaldehyde and ethane.
•Lower Flash point: Higher explosion risks than gasoline.
Petrol and Diesel are obtained from the crude oil after a pain sticking extraction process. Petrol and Diesel are generally fossil fuels, these are non-renewable. The main producers are generally called as OPEC nations. However, it has been concluded in a recently conducted survey that the oil wells in the Gulf region would run dry by the year 2016. The present stocks would last till 2050 at the maximum.
The research into alternate fuel sources started way back in the 1980’s. After more than two and a half decades of extensive research and development, today we have fuel sources that can be used as substitutes for conventional fuels. These fuels are easy to manufacture and are easily renewable too.
Their main advantages lie in their ability to enhance engine performance and at the same time curtail the exhaust gases content thus, limiting the NOx and COx emissions. Another added advantage of alternate fuels is the lower sulphur content in the fuel in relative comparison with conventional diesel and petrol. This reduces the wear of the engine components due to acidic action of sulphur and corrosion.
Methanol (CH3OH)
Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can be used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85 (a blend of 85% methanol and 15% gasoline). However, it is not commonly used because automakers are no longer supplying methanol-powered vehicles.
Methanol is predominantly produced by steam reforming of natural gas to create a synthesis gas (combination of CO and H2), which is then fed into a reactor vessel in the presence of a catalyst to produce methanol and water vapor. Although a variety of feedstocks other than natural gas can and have been used, today's economics favor natural gas.
Methanol can be used to make methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate which is blended with gasoline to enhance octane and create cleaner burning fuel. MTBE production and use has declined because it has been found to contaminate ground water.
The main benefits of methanol include the following:
I)Lower emissions, higher performance and lower risk of flammability than gasoline.
II)Can be manufactured from a variety of sources such as carbon-based feedstock such as natural gas, coal, and biomass.
III)In addition, methanol can easily be made into hydrogen. In the future this could well be used to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cell electric vehicles.
But the black mark in methanol is the high production of formaldehyde emissions.
Methanol and Ethanol have the same chemical properties.
Natural Gas (incl. CNG and LPG):-
Natural gas is domestically produced and readily available to end-users through the utility infrastructure. It is also clean burning and produces significantly fewer harmful emissions than reformulated gasoline or diesel when used in natural gas vehicles.
Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons—mainly methane (CH4)—and is produced either from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. Natural gas is consumed in the residential, commercial, industrial, and utility markets.
The interest in natural gas as an alternative fuel stems mainly from its clean burning qualities, its domestic resource base, and its commercial availability to end users. Because of the gaseous nature of this fuel, it must be stored onboard a vehicle in either a compressed gaseous state (CNG) or in a liquefied state (LNG) or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The main constituent of natural gas is methane, which is a relatively unreactive hydrocarbon. Natural gas as delivered through the pipeline system also contains hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane; and other gases such as nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and water vapour.
CNG Characteristics:
Zero Sulphur
Low particulate emissions (NOx)
No evaporative emissions
Less CO2 per GJ of fuel than petrol fuels
High Octane: RON 120-130
Higher Calorific value than gasoline
Commercial expansion
Over 600,000 vehicles worldwide
CNG is most popular in European countries like Italy, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, Belarus and Sweden.
LPG Characteristics:
Low Sulphur
Octane: RON 100
Lower emissions than gasoline
Low NOx
2.5 million Cars in Europe run on LPG
Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and France are the countries where LPG is a popular fuel
Globally: 1% of the vehicles run on LPG, LPG is now a days becoming popular in India also
LPG vehicles reduce harmful pollutants by 80-95% when compared to gasoline.
Note: For equivalent range of distance to be covered, the CNG has an additional fuel volume capacity of nearly 4.3 times than diesel.
P-Series
P-Series fuel is a unique blend of natural gas liquids (pentanes plus), ethanol, and the biomass-derived co-solvent methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF). P-Series fuels are clear, colorless, 89-93 octane, liquid blends that are formulated to be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFV's). P-Series are designed to be used alone or freely mixed with gasoline in any proportion inside the FFV's gas tank. These fuels are not currently being produced in large quantities and are not widely used.
Biodiesel
What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel (fatty acid alkyl esters) is a cleaner burning diesel replacement fuel made from natural, renewable sources such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats. Just like petroleum diesel, biodiesel operates in compression-ignition engines.
Biodiesel fuel can be made from new or used vegetable oils and animal fats, which are nontoxic, biodegradable, renewable resources. Fats and oils are chemically reacted with an alcohol (methanol is the usual choice) to produce chemical compounds known as fatty acid methyl esters. Biodiesel is the name given to these esters when they're intended for use as fuel. Mostly soya bean is used in its production and glycerol is obtained as a by product.
Biodiesel in Internal Combustion Engines
The cetane number of biodiesel is around 47-49 whereas for ordinary diesel it is around 42-44. Hence, biodiesel has better anti-knocking qualities.
There a numerous number of advantages as well as drawbacks of using Biodiesel as a fuel in IC Engines. Basically speaking of the advantages obtained is as follows:-
Biodiesel has the same vehicular performance as diesel in mild temperature, and actually performs better than diesel in cold temperatures.
Current engines do not require any modifications to use biodiesel as opposed to diesel.
Their environmental benefits include lesser emissions of carbondioxide. In fact neat biodiesel (100% biodiesel) reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75% over petroleum diesel, they are completely renewable.
Helps conserve natural resources: for every unit of energy needed to produce biodiesel, an additional 3.24 units are created.
But using blends of biodiesel would lower the CO2 by only 15% unlike B100 where the emissions are reduced by a staggering 75%.
It has also been detected from various tests that use of biodiesel would advance the injection timing by 4degress of Crank Angle (CA), using pure blends of biodiesel B100 whereas the advance of injection is only 1 CA while using other blends of biodiesel and diesel. Hence, biodiesel results in obtaining higher peak pressures and thus a higher power output. This was concluded after a number tests were conducted on a 4-stroke, single cylinder, air cooled and 4hp diesel engine. Comparisons of injection timing and duration were performed for diesel fuel and a range of biodiesel blends (B20 to B100). The fuel injector on a 4-stroke, single-cylinder, four horsepower, air-cooled, direct injection diesel engine was positioned in a spray chamber while the engine was motored and fuel was delivered to the injector by the fuel pump on the engine. Spray visualization and quantification of injection timing were performed in the spray chamber using an engine videoscope, light attenuation from a He-Ne laser and fuel line pressure, and were synchronized to crank shaft position.
Biodiesel fuels are widely known to yield an increase in NOx emissions in many diesel engines. It has been suggested that the increase in NOx is due to injection timing differences caused by the low compressibility of biodiesel.
For biodiesel the Nett Heat of Combustion is 37.2MJ/kg whereas for diesel it is 42.91MJ/kg.
Ethanol (C2H5OH)
What is Ethanol?
Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Feedstock for this fuel includes corn, barley, and wheat. Ethanol can also be produced from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and grasses and is called bioethanol. Ethanol is most commonly used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline.
Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. This is most common blend of ethanol and also the most effective.
Ethanol is perhaps the most widely used alternate fuel presently in the world.
Properties of Ethanol in comparison with gasoline
Density
(kg/l) Viscosity
(mm2/ s) Calorific Value
(MJ/Kg) Flash Point
( oC) Octane Number
(RON) Equivalence
Petrol or Gasoline 0.76 0.6 42.7 <21 92/91 1
Ethanol 0.79 1.5 26.8 <21 116/129 0.65
From the above data it can be inferred that due to higher RON ethanol has better anti-knocking qualities than regular gasoline. And from the column Equivalence we can see that for 1litre of gasoline one would require only 0.65litres of ethanol.
Mainly ethanol is used in SI engines than CI engines. It is being mainly used as a racing fuel owing to its higher RON, higher power outputs and reduced emissions. It is mainly used as a fuel in racing cars and in countries like Brazil it is being used as a fuel for transportation vehicles. The elaborate reason is as follows:-
HORSEPOWER: Following various tests it has been observed that ethanol has an ability to deliver higher power outputs as the nett energy released per cycle. This is because of the presence of oxygen which results in better combustion of the charge. But ethanol must be used at higher fuel-air ratios because of low energy per unit volume value.
For example, if gasoline is run at its preferred max power air fuel mixture of 12.5/1, it will release approximately 19,000 BTU's of energy, where ethanol run at its preferred power stoichiometric of 6.5/1 will release approximately 24,400 BTU's. By comparison, methanol releases slightly more, about 27,650 BTU's. The more ethanol there is in gasoline, the more powerful it is as a motor fuel. But Methanol is more toxic and corrosive than ethanol.
Typically, one can expect at least 5% more horsepower at the rear wheels of a vehicle running on E-85 than running the vehicle on gasoline alone.
Note: 1 BTU = 1059.67J = 1.059KJ.
INCREASED ENGINE LIFE: Ethanol has a very high MON octane rating, allowing engine builders to run higher compression ratios without fears of destructive detonation. It also has a very high Latent Heat of Vaporization, so the engine is cooled far better than one running on gasoline. This lowers bottom end and oiling system temperatures substantially.
REDUCED EMISSIONS: Although reducing emissions usually will not directly affect the on-track performance of a race car, engine parts like pistons and valves tend to stay cleaner. More importantly, there are serious health concerns with many of the octane boosting additives that must be added to gasoline in order make them more compatible with higher compression engines. Ethanol fumes are also non-toxic.
BURNING RATE: It is the speed at which a fuel burns and releases its heat energy. At higher RPM's there is less time for fuel to burn, so racing fuels tend to work better if they have a rapid burning rate. If a fuel can be almost completely burned by the time the crankshaft is 20 degrees after TDC (Top Dead Center) on the engine power stroke, peak horsepower and engine efficiency are realized.
Fuel Octane (R+M/2) Octane (MON) Burning Rate (ms @ stoich. mixture) Latent Heat (BTU/gal) Energy Value BTU/Lb Power Stoichio-metric Nett Energy MJ/kg
Pure Ethanol 113 102 .39 396 13,160 6.5/1 3.00
Pure Methanol N/A 103 .43 503 10,260 5/1 3.08
Pump Gasoline 86-93 80-90 .34 150 18,700-19,100 12.5/1 2.92
E-85 103-109 99-100 .38 359 (approx) 14,021 (approx) 7.4/1 2.99
Where,
BTU/gal – British Thermal Units/ Gallon; BTU/lb – British Thermal Units/ Pound
RON: Research Octane Number, MON: Motor Octane Number
Octane Number of fuel = (RON+MON)/2
British Thermal Units are the standard measuring units.
We know that ethanol and methanol have same chemical properties but methanol is not preferred for the following reasons:-
ETHANOL IS LESS CORROSIVE: Ethanol is less corrosive to most fuel delivery system components than methanol. This is due in part to the higher oxygen content of methanol. However, certain materials that may be used as sealers or glue in methanol-compatible fuel cells may not be compatible with ethanol. There are solutions to this problem that are being developed for the IRL (Indy Racing League) series that will be running pure ethanol in the 2007 season.
ETHANOL IS NON-TOXIC: Ethanol is really grain alcohol-the kind present in all alcoholic beverages. In order to be legally transported, it must contain a "denaturing agent" (poison) which is usually ordinary gasoline. By comparison, methanol (wood alcohol) is toxic and is harmful or fatal if swallowed. When blended with gasoline, methanol releases formaldehyde in passenger cars until the catalytic converter warms up. This is the reason why automobile manufacturers do not recommend more than 5% of methanol (by concentration) in their cars. However, all car manufacturers have approved ethanol-enhanced gasoline, up to 85% ethanol content in "Flexible Fuel Vehicles"
Note: Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV’s) are the vehicles which are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85% ethanol (E85). Except for a few engine and fuel system modifications, they are identical to gasoline-only models. The manufacturers include the lights of automotive giants like General Motors (GM), Honda and Toyota etc.
No fuel is completely perfect and so is Ethanol, it has the following disadvantages: -
•Invisible flame which can cause safety problems and fires.
•It gives higher unregulated emissions of acetaldehyde and ethane.
•Lower Flash point: Higher explosion risks than gasoline.
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