Comparison Gas Tractors

[CobyRupert]

I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a tractor I could potentially destroy running 100% ethanol.

You could potentially destroy a lot more than a tractor if you're making significant quantities of ethanol.
Familiar with NFPA 30 or NFPA 30A?
Poor ventilation, heat sources and electrical switches are your enemy. Not trying to be the safety police, but be safe.
Actually I've wanted to experiment with alternative fuels also. ( i.e. How much wind/sun does it take to turn water to hydrogen, capture it, store it, regulate it and figure out what modifications are required to get an internal combustion engine to burn it without ending with corroded metal or in a big fireball?)

 

[Btown]

Why not plant a crop u can make biodiesel from and use that in a tractor. The only downfall is in the freezing temperatures it will wax up at 100% bio.

 

[wsessions1005]

Why not plant a crop u can make biodiesel from and use that in a tractor. The only downfall is in the freezing temperatures it will wax up at 100% bio.

To be completely honest I just don't know what crop that would be in my region. Also please correct me if I am wrong but going from crop to biodiesel is a lot harder and longer process.

 

[wsessions1005]

Copaifera langsdorffii - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Did I just read this article correctly. It says that the sap from this tree can be used in a diesel engine without any problems or processing?

 

[Btown]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

 

[wsessions1005]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

I was reading a article about the tree I posted the wiki link to. They claim that a 12 year old fully mature tree will produce 40 gal of biodiesel a year. Corn is the absolute worst crop for biofuel. I would not use corn.


Table of biofuel crop yields - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of different crops and the rates of production per acre.

 

[arlen4720]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

That may be true if you are talking a commercial operation where you are trucking in the raw materials, using fuel oil to fire the still, and trucking out the finished product. I get the impression that the OP would be producing and using the fuel on site, and I would venture a guess that he would use a wood fired still.
As far as what crop... you're kind of at the mercy of what your local conditions and soil will produce.

 

[Btown]

But how efficient is it to extract ethanol. It's a lot of work to prepare soil, grow crop, extract ethanol (several step process) store ethanol without water getting in. I understand that some people want to make their own power, but it all comes with a price. Millions are spent yearly to make extracting ethanol from plant materiel faster and more efficient.

 

[Btown]

The article says its a tropical rainforest tree and does not do well outside of that environment

 

[Soundguy]

I think switchgrass or remnant sugarcane would be better than corn ethanol

If going ethanol, I'd look at a ford 8xx or 9xx that was on propane?
I'd also look at biodiesel closer than ethanol...

I was reading a article about the tree I posted the wiki link to. They claim that a 12 year old fully mature tree will produce 40 gal of biodiesel a year. Corn is the absolute worst crop for biofuel. I would not use corn.


Table of biofuel crop yields - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of different crops and the rates of production per acre.