A critical review: Application of methanol as a fuel for internal combustion engines and effects of blending methanol with diesel/biodiesel/ethanol on performance, emission, and combustion characteristics of engines

This article presents a comprehensive overview of methanol as a potential oxygenated fuel for internal combustion engines. Here two approaches have been examined to evaluate the utilization of methanol, namely blending with diesel/biodiesel/methanol and premixing with intake air or fumigation. In conventional compression ignition engines, up to 95% and 25% diesel can be replaced by methanol through fumigation and blending, respectively. Higher latent heat of vaporization of alcohol led to lower peak incylinder pressure and NOx; however, it negatively affects thermal efficiency and hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. Fumigation of alcohol requires modifications in the existing engine, whereas blending needed surfactants or additives to produce stable alcohol-diesel blends. High injection pressure and late direct injection, methanol-diesel blends have shown lower emissions and proved their potential as a suitable replacement for ethanol-diesel blends from the components durability perspective.