Ethanol for Air Transportation

Abstract Ethanol has been used as a drinking alcohol. It is tax free when is denatured by addition of 5% gasoline and the mixture is called E95. Ethanol motor octane number is reported as 112.5 and it could be a renewable, knock-free, and low-emission substitute for current aviation fuel. It can make 15% more power when it burns stoichiometrically and this is very important during take-off. Ethanol has not yet been used extensively in aviation industry, as only less than a dozen aircrafts are fueled with E95. Higher cost, cold starting, corrosive nature, limited availability, and hygroscopic features of ethanol limits its extensive usage at least as long as avgas is still available in aviation market. The advantages and disadvantages of ethanol as a potential substitute to current aviation fuel have been explained in this chapter. Moreover, the necessary modifications to current aircraft system have been discussed in order to be fueled with ethanol appropriately.