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Posted on  

May 29, 2002

Ethanol as airplane fuel researched

Universities in N.D., S.D. seeking an alternative airplane fuel

By David Dodds
Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald

Researchers from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks and South Dakota State University in Brookings think the quest for an alternative, unleaded aviation fuel just might start in the cornfields of America.

A conference of researchers, scientists and private industry representatives gathered last week in Grand Forks to discuss the pros and cons of using ethanol or ethanol-based gas to propel the nation's fleet of light aircraft. Ethanol is a fuel derived from corn.

There's concern in the aviation industry that the predominant aviation gas used today, “100 low-lead,” could be banned by the Environmental Protection Agency or other federal regulators because of its lead content. In the early 1970s, the EPA banned the use of tetra-ethyl lead in motor fuels but waived the prohibition for aviation fuels because there was no safe, affordable alternative.

Much of the discussion at last week's conference focused on a new aviation fuel that uses ethanol as its main ingredient. The fuel, called “aviation ethanol,” is hoped to be the long-sought-after solution for the aviation industry. It was developed by Ted Aulich, a UND researcher with the school's National Alternative Fuels Laboratory.

Aulich has been working with researchers from SDSU on the alternative fuel possibilities of ethanol for years, but it wasn't until two years ago that they came up with the first formula of aviation ethanol.

With support from the Federal Aviation Administration, the researchers now are teaming with the private sector, namely Phillips 66 and Textron Lycoming, to get the new fuel approved commercially and to help it gain public acceptance.

Many in the aviation industry and the public have been skeptical of ethanol-based fuel largely because of difficulties experienced in low temperatures and rumors that its safety is in question. But new blends such as that developed by Aulich are helping to quash that reputation.

Best of all, researchers say, is that the ethanol-based fuels cost as much as, if not less than, aviation fuels used today, and they are environmentally friendly and would stand up well against any new EPA regulations.

And the availability of ethanol makes those in the aviation industry smile, too. Each year, about 400 million gallons of regular aviation gas is produced in the world. The United States could produce about 1.8 billion gallons of ethanol-based fuel each year, says Dennis Helder, a researcher at SDSU.

Aviation ethanol has compared favorably to other fuels used today in the aviation industry, according to researchers, and in the areas that it's rated low, changes still can be made.

Aulich readily admits that the ingredients of his aviation ethanol as they stand today might not be the formula that is commercially approved in the end.
 

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