11 Feb., 1918.] Power-Alcohol. 115 



POWER-ALCOHOL. 



A Substitute for Petrol. 



The dependence of Australia on other countries for her supply of 

 mineral oils suitable for internal combustion engines is a matter to 

 which attention has been directed for several years. The price of petrol 

 has increased from Is. jier gallon in 1908 to 3s. 2d. at the present time. 

 So far we have been able to secure a supply of mineral oils sufficient to 

 meet our needs, but in view of the increasing shortage of shipping and 

 the large demands for petrol in connexion with the war, we may at any 

 time be thro^\^l on our oa\ii resoui-ces for supplies of liquid fuel. In 

 1916-17 Australia imported nearly 20,250,000 gallons of petrol in addition 

 to 22,000,000 gallons of kerosene. The supplies of petrol are finite, and 

 in view of the gradual exhaustion of the old-fields the probability that 

 the price of mineral oils will fall substantially is stated to be remote. 



In Australia conditions are eminently favorable for the growth of 

 crops containing sugar and starch, from which alcohol can be manu- 

 factured. Alcohol is in every way suitable for use as a liquid fuel. 

 Indeed, it possesses certain distinct advantages over petrol. The main 

 advantage is that, owing to the grea.ter degree of compression that can 

 be used with alcohol without danger of pre-iguition, a much higher 

 efficiency can be attained in a properly-designed alcohol engine than m a 

 petrol engine. The result is that the cost of fuel in an efficient alcohol 

 engine, with spirit at its present price of 2s. 6d. per gallon, is only 3d. 

 per horse-power hour, compared with 3^d. in a petrol engine, with petrol 

 at 3s. 2d. a gallon. 



The whole question of the production and utilization of alcohol for 

 power purposes in Australia is ])oing investigated by a Special Committee 

 appointed by the Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and 

 Industry, consisting of Professor Lyle (chairman), Messrs. W. R. Grim- 

 wade, W. N. Kernot. H. V. McKay, and G. Lightfoot (secretary), and a 

 comprehe." =ivo and valuable report, reviewing the whole situation and 

 giving the results of investigations so far made, has been issued. The 

 whole question divides itself into three main problems, viz. : (a) the pro- 

 duction, (5) the utilization, and (c) the denaturation of the alcohol. 

 The last-named refers, of course, to the mixing of the spirit with some 

 other msiterial so as to render it unfit for drinking. 



As regards the production of power-alcohol, the most suitable raw 

 material is the sugar molasses now wasted in Queensland. But even if 

 the total annual quantity of molasses Avasted and used for purposes other 

 than distillation (47,500 tons) were used for the purpose in view, it 

 would only be sufficient to manufacture about 3,125,000 gallons of 

 alcohol, whereas the annual petrol requirements of Queensland alone 

 are nearly 3,500,000 gallons. Moreover, owing to freight charges and 

 labour costs, it does not seem feasible to regard molasses in some of the 

 outlying northern parts of Queensland as a profitable source of liquid 

 fuel for use in parts of Australia far distant from that State. For these 

 reasons, it is necessary to consider whether some other profitable source 

 of supply cannot be found. 



The most important desiderata in connexion with raw material for 

 the manufacture of power-alcohol are — (a) Constancy and abundance of 

 supply; (h) accessibility of supply; (c) price; {d) percentage of sugars 

 or starches. 



