Exploring Transportation

Where it started

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And finally, modern technology

Internal Combustion Engine  Nikolaus August Otto, patent 1876  Part of nearly all private passenger vehicles  Plentiful petroleum led to use of gasoline in the engine  Fuel mixed with air then injected  Uses electric spark for explosion  250+ million cars now registered in U.S.

Diesel Engine  Rudolph Diesel, invented 1878  Another form of internal combustion engine  Direct fuel injection  No spark plug  Fuel ignites at its flash point  More efficient than gasoline engines of day

Current IC Engines  Thermal efficiency (26-34%)  Mechanical efficiency (94%)  Overall efficiency (20%)  Emissions Particulate matter NO x Sulfur oxides Carbon monoxide Carbon dioxide

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels  Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Cleaner, does not emit nitrogen and sulfur oxides, or all the particulate matter Still releases carbon dioxide  Hydrogen fuel cells (used at Vancouver Olympics) Only emission is water vapor Lots of energy required to generate hydrogen Lack of infrastructure Currently prohibitively expensive

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels  LNG  Fuel blends (Ethanol, biodiesel)  Hybrid vehicles  All Electric vehicles

For More Information The NEED Project Energy Information Administration U.S. Department of Energy

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