Carbide Fuel Cycles:A Mixture of Solar Energy and Coal
Title:
Carbide Fuel Cycles:A Mixture of Solar Energy and Coal
Author:
Smith, Kirk R.
Appeared in:
Energy sources. Part A, Recovery utilization and environmental effects
Paging:
Volume 5 (1980) nr. 3 pages 223-246
Year:
1980
Contents:
Metal carbides show some promise as fuels that can be manufactured from coal and solar energy. Calcium carbide, which produces acetylene gas upon reaction with water, could possibly be used as a vehicle fuel, although handling acetylene presents serious problems. Aluminum carbide produces methane, a more controllable gas, but has the disadvantage of releasing substantial heat during hydrolysis. However, in a system in which the heat of reaction is used to provide backup heat for a solar heating system and the methane is used for vehicle fuel, aluminum carbide may be the basis of an attractive fuel cycle. It seems to offer certain environmental advantages, although it poses other potential difficulties that would have to be investigated. Its costs are speculative but seem to lie within range of the economic value of the fuels to be replaced.
Journal description