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Assessment of PNGV Fuels Infrastructure: Infrastructure Concerns Related to the Safety of Alternative Fuels - 2000

Steven E. Plotkin

Center for Transportation Research

In this pdf format, this document has 47 pages and is 279.1kb.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements v
Summary 1
1 Introduction and Background 7
  1.1 Introduction 7
1.2 Background 7
2 Measuring Fuel Safety 11
  2.1 Physical/Chemical Characteristics 12

 

 2.1.1 Properties Affecting the Likelihood of Spills or Releases 12
2.1.2 Properties Affecting the Threat to Human Health and Environment after a Release 12
2.1.3 Properties Affecting Fire and Explosion Danger after a Fuel Release 13
2.2 Other Factors with Safety Implications 14
3 Overview of the Safety of Alternative Fuels 17
  3.1 Reformulated Gasoline 17
3.2 Diesel Fuel - RFD, Biodiesel, F-T Diesel 18
3.3 Dimethyl Ether 19
3.4 Ethanol 21
3.5 Methanol 22
3.6 Compressed Hydrogen 23
4 Infrastructure Issues Associated with Fuel Safety Concerns 27
  4.1 Alternative Fuel Volumes Relative to Current Gasoline Volumes 27
4.2 Speed of Market Introduction of Alternative Fuels 28
4.3 Volume of Alternative Fuels Relative to Current Hazardous Materials Shipments 29
4.4 Impact on Hazardous Material Emergency Response Infrastructure 30
4.5 Firefighting Issues for Alternative Fuels Versus Gasoline 31
4.6 Maintenance and Repair of Alternative-Fuel Vehicles Versus Conventional Vehicles 32
4.7 Storage of Alternative Fuels and Vehicles 33
  4.7.1 Home Garages 33
4.7.2 Refueling Station 33
4.8 Spills and Contamination of Drinking Water Supplies 34
4.9 Monitoring of Safety Incidents Involving Alternative Fuels 34
5 References 37
 
LIST OF TABLES
1 Important Safety-Related Characteristics of Alternative Fuels 15
2 Energy Densities of Alternative PNGV Fuels for Light-Duty Vehicles 28