An authoritative l300-page condensation of the Third Edition of the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (25 volumes plus supplement volume). Approximately 1,100 articles were abridged and condensed from the original and reviewed by the author and other experts for accuracy. Cross references, index, extensive tables, charts, and general references.

This article describes methanol as the most efficient and cheapest fuel for the spark ignited engines of automobiles. The Ethyl Corp., recognizes methanol as being ''a major substitute for hydrocarbon fuels''. It is also an excellent fuel for other internal combustion engines--diesels and gas turbines. The author also discusses methanol as a fleet fuel, noting that opertors of large fleets of cars have seen the need for more efficient fuel. The engine of the Ford Escort is discussed, and with methanol, the engine's efficiency may increase from 17% to at least 34%; it will have to eliminate correspondingly less heat; and its design will be changed substantially. This and other advantages are discussed regarding a smaller methanol engine.

Explains how improvements in process and plant designs as well as catalysts allow considerable cost reductions, which make methanol economical for autos, trucks, locomotives, and electric generators. Predicts that, although the selling price of methanol has multiplied with the recent increase in price of natural gas, in the near future the product cost will be reduced drastically. In a comparison of cars using gasoline vs. methanol, the fuel cost per mile was 12.5% more for gasoline while thermal efficiency for methanol was 50 to 80% better. Exxon found methanol the lowest cost liquid fuel available from coal with an octane rating of 110 and with fewer emission problems.

An economic analysis and technological overview are presented for production of ethanol from biomass and methanol from coal, lignite, peat and natural gas, for use both as liquid fuels and chemical feedstocks. The construction of methanol plants is seen as a much more feasible proposition for the U.S. than the construction of ethanol plants.

Surface waters of tropic and sub-tropic seas hold most of the solar energy retained by the earth; but the heat therein may be increased even more by heat which can be added by intensive solar heaters. The sea water so heated naturally or additionally by the sun, when flash evaporated, gives vapors which may be passed through a heat engine to give power, then condensed at a lower pressure to give fresh water, which may be much more valuable than the power produced. Heat of condensation is removed by circulating cold sea water from a depth of a few thousand feet. This water from the deep also has considerable nutrients for sea plants and animals coming from the degradation of former sea life; and these nutrients may be used in well studied mariculture systems to grow commercial food fish in ponds adjacent the land-based plant. Various arrangements of flows of the several liquid streams are presented to illustrate variations to the process which will produce fresh water and/or electric power, also food fish. These modifications may be optimized with various component systems, some of which are well known and evaluated in this usage, including the use of a second thermodynamic fluid, conventional multistage flash evaporation, also two of its variations: Controlled Flash Evaporation and Vapor Reheat. Calculations indicate that even without the use of intensive solar heaters, a profitable desalination and mariculture operation may be expected which would pay for its substantial cost in two or three years of profits; however, the incorporation of certain intensive solar heaters may increase the profitability significantly.

Multistage flash (MSF) evaporation may produce ten pounds of water per pound of steam — the so-called “gain ratio”. Several MSF units in a multi-effect series give twice this gain ratio, at large increase in plant cost. Variations in MSF described increase the gain ratio substantially without increase — or with an actual decrease — of plant cost.