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238 comments on DrumBeat: December 6, 2006

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AlanfromBigEasy on December 7, 2006 - 12:16pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
The prospects for gasoline are no better, and perhaps worse than for diesel.

Consider Carbon-Hydrogen ratios.

Gasoline has a low C, High H ratio.  Diesel is richer is C, less H.  As oil gets thicker & lower value, the C ratio climbs.  Coal has some H, but much more C (coal is not carbon as some people think, but a complex mix of long chain hydrocarbons, very rich in C).

The primary (99% ?) source of commercial hydrogen for upgrading oil is natural gas or oil itself.  (This is the source of most refinery gain, where oil products > crude oil).

Early CTL plants (example one announced in Illinois) have announced output will be diesel.  In a shortage situation, refinery output will be biased towards diesel (trucks, rail, barge, farms) will be biased towards diesel and the President may waive the ultra-low sulfur requirement for, say, 1/2 the diesel produced in an emergency (today there are two supply & distribution streams, one for 0.5% sulphur and the other for 0.015%)  

And diesel can be stored more easily, safely and longer than gasoline.  If I hear that Isreal has bombed Iran, my first stop will be a truck stop with containers.  I filled up last week for the first time since the beginning of hurricane season (June 1) 16.6 gallons + 5.x gallons top-up mid-season.  I can make a full tank + containers last a year or more.

Now, if we can buy a vehicle that can run on #4 bunker fuel, or even better, Orimulsion# !

Best Hopes for Otto, my 31 mpg (city) 1982 M-B 240D (manual transmission) diesel (pun intended on name)

Alan

# Orimulsion is a mix of 30% water, surfactant and "improved asphalt" from the Orinico of Venezula.  Burns VERY dirty.

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AlanfromBigEasy on December 7, 2006 - 12:45pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Since you own a brother Benz, Bosch is selling a retrofit kit for glow plugs that uses recent improvements.

Called Duraterm, it is a $98.23 relay with 4 new glow plugs that

  1. Speeds up glow time, cutting it in half
  2. Glows slightly hotter
  3. Glows for 3 minutes after starting at less power, resulting in less pollution, noise, and better fuel economy during those 3 minutes.
  4. Glow plugs are expected to have twice the life

One key is patented iron-cobalt alloy whose resistance builds quickly as it heats up, thereby self limiting max heat.

My kit is good only for 1981-85 W123 M-Bs.  Unsure about other applications.  300Ds need to buy an extra glow plug seperately.

Also, some new tires improve fuel economy.  And I have reduced parasitic losses by installed LED bulbs.  Glad to give you details.

Best Hopes,

Alan

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ThatsItImout on December 7, 2006 - 3:07pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Alan,

Thanks for the info, I need a set of glow plugs for mine, and with temps in KY getting into the teens for the next couple of nights, I really need them now...:-).

My old Benz has been getting right on 31 MPG, and I just did a full tire check and found that was running a bit underinflated on two of them, so I hope to be doing 32 plus in the near future....needs an air filter change and perhaps later a clutch, but right now, I can't tear it down for the clutch, it spends too much time on the road. :-)

Thanks again, Roger  
known to you as ThatsItImout

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AlanfromBigEasy on December 7, 2006 - 6:46pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I sent you an eMail to the address listed under info @ TOD.  Delivery failed.

Please send me your correct eMail address to

Alan_Drake at Juno dott com.

Thanks,

Alan

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ThatsItImout on December 8, 2006 - 5:15am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Sorry about that,

After my Compaq blew, and I went to my Mac, I left my MSN Hotmail account behind....however, I have not been able to get my TOD settings to change for me no matter what...:-(

I will try again in a minute, but in the meantime, use admin@irvingtondesign.com

It's a site associated with some of my energy work, see if it takes.

Thanks for all info and assistance, Roger Conner  
known to you as ThatsItImout

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238 comments on DrumBeat: December 6, 2006

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