A clean air filter is the key
to good fuel economy. A dirty
air filter restricts the flow
of air into the engine, which
harms performance and economy.
Air filters are easy to check
and change, hold the filter up
to the sun and if you can't see
through it, you need a new one.
2) Keep up the (tyre)
pressure
Under-inflated tyres can easily
cost 2 to 5 KPL [Kilometers per
Litre] or more. Go to a reliable
Petrol Station and use their tyre
gauge, check your tyre when they
are cold (driving the car warms
up the tyre and the air in them,
increasing the pressure), and
keep them properly inflated. Use
the inflation pressures shown
in the owner's manual or on a
the tyre itself.
3) Slow down
As speed increases, fuel economy
decreases exponentially. If "ten
kilometers over" set, try
driving the speed limit for a
few days, you'll save a lot of
fuel and your journey won't take
much longer. Just be sure you
keep to the left, you won't impede
the less-enlightened. Also if
you are doing 80km in a 100 zone,
you will save 20% more fuel economy
than doing the 100 kilometers
per hour. Moreover, these days
you would be better off doing
the 100k's regardless if you are
in 100k zone. Always stick to
the speed limit and always slow
down through school zones not
matter what time it is day or
night, rain or snow. Save our
children and learn to do the five
alive.
4) Roll with the trucks
Ever
notice how bad traffic jams seem
to constantly speed up and slow
down while the trucks tend to
roll along at the same leisurely
pace? A constant speed is always
good, yet shifting up and down
will consume more fuel. Same as
when you start and stop your car
- Energy = Ozone + Weather + Smog
+ Battery Life.
[ethyl
alcohol, grain alcohol] is a clear,
colourless liquid with a characteristic,
agreeable odor. In dilute aqueous
solution, it has a somewhat sweet
flavour, but in more concentrated
solutions it has a burning taste.
Ethanol, CH3CH2OH, is an alcohol,
a group of chemical compounds
whose molecules contain a hydroxyl
group, –OH, bonded to a
carbon atom. The word alcohol
derives from Arabic al-kuhul,
which denotes a fine powder of
antimony used as an eye makeup.
Alcohol originally referred to
any fine powder, but medieval
alchemists later applied the term
to the refined products of distillation,
and this led to the current usage.
C6H12O6
-------------->2 CH3CH2OH
+ 2 CO2
Ethanol is actually very complex,
and impure cultures of yeast produce
varying amounts of other substances,
including glycerine and various
organic acids. In the production
of beverages, such as whiskey
and brandy, the impurities supply
the flavour. Starches from potatoes,
corn, wheat, and other plants
can also be used in the production
of ethanol by fermentation. However,
the starches must first be broken
down into simple sugars. An enzyme
released by germinating barley,
diastase, converts starches into
sugars. Thus, the germination
of barley, called malting, is
the first step in brewing beer
from starchy plants, such as corn
and wheat.
The ethanol produced by fermentation
ranges in concentration from a
few percent up to about 14 percent.
Above about 14 percent, ethanol
destroys the zymase enzyme and
fermentation stops. Ethanol is
normally concentrated by distillation
of aqueous solutions, but the
composition of the vapor from
aqueous ethanol is 96 percent
ethanol and 4 percent water. Therefore,
pure ethanol cannot be obtained
by distillation. Commercial ethanol
contains 95 percent by volume
of ethanol and 5 percent of water.
Dehydrating agents can be used
to remove the remaining water
and produce absolute ethanol.
Much
of the ethanol is not intended
for drinking and is now made synthetically,
either from acetaldehyde made
or from acetylene. Ethanol can
be oxidized to form first acetaldehyde
and then acetic acid. It can be
dehydrated to form ether. Butadiene,
used in making synthetic rubber,
may be made from ethanol, as can
chloroform and many other organic
chemicals. Ethanol is used as
an automotive fuel by itself and
can be mixed with gasoline to
form gasohol or petrol. Ethanol
is miscible (mixable) in all proportions
with water and with most organic
solvents. It is useful as a solvent
for many substances, like making
perfumes, paints, lacquer, and
explosives.
The hydrogen atoms represented
by these equations are not unattached,
but are picked up by another biologically
important compound, nicotinamide-adenine
dinucleotide [NAD], whose function
is to carry hydrogen atoms. NAD
is involved in both of the above
processes, being converted to
NADH.
NAD + H --------------> NADH
Most new cars will run well on
any grade of unleaded, but anecdotal
evidence of older cars getting
better economy from higher octane
premuim fuels. Try a tank, record
your kilometers, then do the maths,
translating cost-per-litre to
cost-per-kilometer. The expensive
stuff just might turn out to be
cheaper in the end.
Consider shutting off the air
conditioning and opening the windows.
Keep in mind that at higher speeds
the A/C may be more efficient
than the wind resistance from
open windows and the cars sunroof.
7) Have standard Tyres
New wheels and tyres may look
cool, and they can certainly improve
handling. But if they are wider
than the stock tyres, chances
are they'll create more rolling
resistance and decrease fuel economy.
8) Clean out your car
The more weight your car has to
haul, the more fuel it needs to
do the work. If you're the type
who takes a leisurely attitude
towards car cleanliness than you
might gain a few extra kilometers.
9) Out with the old, in
with the new
Upgrading to cars with O2E or
enviromental capabilites that
are more economic than older ones.
However when people drive the
older brands they are more slower
and careful with the car. The
point I am making is a new car
is just a car and an old car is
the same. So treat each new and
old car with regular maintenance.
10) Don't drive
Not a popular thing to say on
any site, I know, but the fact
is that if you can avoid driving,
you'll save fuel. Take the train,
ride your bike, carpool, catch
a bus. Always ask yourself: "Is
this trip really necessary?"
With Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane
and the rest of the states having
a major traffic problem, we can
only hope that the future will
think of ways to commute without
going into long delays on the
highway and back streets.
