This monograph focuses on methanol and its utilization in transportation sector, namely in spark ignition (SI) engines. The contents focus on methanol production and presents a variety of production technologies from different feedstocks. The potential of methanol utilization in transportation in SI engines is discussed, its challenges, limitations, aspects related to its utilization and current global use of methanol are also presented. The book also contains chapters related to pollutant formation and exhaust emissions from methanol fuelled SI engines, one chapter is focused specifically on formaldehyde emissions, which possesses one of the greatest challenges of methanol use in IC engines. Readers will learn about the production aspects of methanol, its potential as a sustainable fuel, its utilization in SI engine and the effect of methanol and its utilization techniques on engine performance, combustion, exhaust emissions, efficiency and other important parameters. This volume willbe a useful guide for professionals, post-graduate students involved in alternative fuels, spark ignition engines, and environmental research.
Prof. Avinash Kumar Agarwal joined the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India in 2001 after working as a post-doctoral fellow at the Engine Research Center, University of Wisconsin at Madison, USA. His interests are IC engines, combustion, alternate and conventional fuels, lubricating oil tribology, optical diagnostics, laser ignition, HCCI, emissions and particulate control, and large bore engines. Prof. Agarwal has published 290+ peer reviewed international journal and conference papers, 42 edited books, 78 books chapters and has 10000+ Scopus and 15300+ Google scholar citations. He is a Fellow of SAE (2012), Fellow of ASME (2013), Fellow of ISEES (2015), Fellow of INAE (2015), Fellow of NASI (2018), Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (2018), and a Fellow of American Association of Advancement in Science (2020). He is recipient of several prestigious awards such as Clarivate Analystics India Citation Award-2017 in Engineering and Technology, NASI-Reliance Industries Platinum Jubilee Award-2012; INAE Silver Jubilee Young Engineer Award-2012; Dr. C. V. Raman Young Teachers Award: 2011; SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award -2008; INSA Young Scientist Award-2007; UICT Young Scientist Award-2007; INAE Young Engineer Award-2005. Prof. Agarwal received Prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award-2016 in Engineering Sciences. For his outstanding contributions, Prof. Agarwal is conferred upon Sir J C Bose National Fellowship (2019) by SERB.
Hardikk Valera is pursuing Ph.D. from Engine Research Laboratory (ERL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. He has completed his M.Tech. and B.Tech. from National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jalandhar, India, and Ganpat University, respectively. His research interests include methanol fuelled SI engines, methanol fuelled CI engines, optical diagnostics, fuel spray characterization and emission control from engines.
Prof. Martin Pexa is associated professor in the field of energetics at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department for Quality and Dependability of Machines. His research work is focused on the issue of diagnosis and maintenance of machines, especially in the field energy and diagnosis of motor vehicles. As part of his activities, he regularly reviews the contributions into databases Web of Science and Scopus. He also publishes contributions in international scientific journals and conferences. In the mentioned problematics, he teaches students of doctoral, master and bachelor degree programs.
Dr. Jakub Čedík is assistant professor at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department for Quality and Dependability of Machines. As a part time job he works as a research worker at Research Institute of Agriculture Engineering, p.r.i. in Prague. In the research field he focuses on the issues of biofuels, exhaust emissions, energy demands and operation of internal combustion engines of vehicles and agriculture machinery, issues of agricultural machinery and motor vehicles. He is author or co-author of more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications. He teaches courses on Operability of Machines, Quality, Dependability and Logistics of Machines, Technology of Maintenance and Repairs of Machines. He also participate in the review process of peer-reviewed publications, diploma and bachelor theses.
