Re: Marine diesels, turbines, and alternate fuels?

On 16 Jul 2006 21:22:00 -0700, "David E. Powell"
<David_Powell3006@xxxxxxx> wrote:

I was wondering... considering the questions that people ask these days
about alternate fuels, I was wondering how some of the ones proposed
would do in marine engines? I know that some turbines can burn
different fuel types, so I was wondering if the kind of Ethanol Brazil
seems to be fond of would work in one. Then again, Marine turbines
often run on jet fuel, kerosene, which is pretty heavy.

Another alternate fuel some folks use in cars is recycled vegetable
oil. If it could be collected, and burned in diesels. At least one fast
food chain uses their old fry oil in their truck fleet. However,
diesels must be modified to use it and the engine must be warmed up on
regular diesel before it can be switched over to the vegetable oil for
cruise. Not sure if a marine diesel or turbine's fuel system could take
that stuff, or if enough could be collected effectively to fuel a ship
at all.

So, might either fuel pop up in the future if fuel prices stay around
these levels? The infrastructure investment costs would be pretty big,
and considering the amounts needed for just a few of a ship's bunkers,
it would need a good source, like a serious effort among vegetable oil
sources or in using some kind of agricultural waste, like crops which
had spoiled. And it would be a supply with spikes and lows. It would be
a portion of fuels used, not the full measure.

THere's a thriving little industry converting restaurant waste to
biodeisel and another selling do-it yourself equipment.

Peter Skelton
.

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