For the latest information about A-21, please see A-21 Fuel--Half Water, of Half Vapor? in the August issue of BWZ.

In the arid state of Nevada, excitement is growing over a new alternative fuel source made, of all things, from water! Clean-burning, water-based A-21 fuel, the brainchild of Reno inventor Rudolph Gunnerman, was recently classified by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection as a recognized clean alternative fuel, clearing the way for commercial uses of the fuel in Nevada.

A-21, for "Advanced Fuels Technology for the 21^st Century," is a stable emulsion, or mixture, of water and petroleum-based naphtha, with trace amounts of bonding and winterizing agents. Water comprises up to 55% of the total fuel volume, with the remainder consisting mostly of naphtha, a petroleum product from the earliest stages of the refinery process. Water and petroleum products normally don't mix, but Gunnerman invented an emulsifier that allows the two substances to be blended together into a milky liquid that can be used to run both gasoline and diesel engines with only minor modifications.

The fact that the fuel contains petroleum products precludes it from being classified as an alternative fuel under current federal Department of Energy requirements, even though it is classified as such under Nevada state mandates. Presently the DOE is awaiting test results from trials being run by Caterpillar Inc. before passing judgement. A favorable decision could result in Gunnerman's fuel being available in all states.

The Case for Optimism

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about A-21 as an alternative fuel source:

• Clean-burning A-21 meets or exceeds government emissions standards.
• It may prove up to 50% less expensive than standard gasoline or diesel fuel.
• Mileage and power output are increased due to the A-21's efficient burn traits, having a different and extended power production time throughout the combustion process.
• Naphtha production requires far less energy and resulting emissions than gasoline or diesel fuel at the refinery level. It is also much easier to extract from sources such as oil shale and sand tars, meaning those hard-to-work sources could be exploited.
• Unique to A-21 is the fact that it is a "uni-fuel," usable in both diesel and spark-ignited engines.
• The fuel will not sustain combustion outside the combustion chamber, eliminating safety concerns.
• Concerns about the high water content causing cold weather and corrosion problems are alleviated by the addition of antifreeze agents and the fact that the fuel is an entirely new liquid formula and does not display the characteristics of water, specifically corrosion.
• A-21 can be delivered using the existing infrastructure already in place for dispensing gasoline and diesel, including using the same pumps and storage tanks, reducing startup costs associated with other alternative fuels such as natural gas
• Theoretically, pollution control devices are not needed when using A-21 fuel, but in testing they have been retained, as they would be in most future conversions.

Tests Are Positive

Tests conducted for the Nevada state Department of Environmental Protection using a 1991 Ford Taurus showed A-21 produced significantly fewer hydrocarbons, substantially less carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions, exceeded federal emissions standards intended to reduce air pollution in current ozone non-attainment areas, and in fact produced emissions well below the Environmental Protection Agency tailpipe standard, as well as the next two rounds of California Air Resources Board standards reaching deep into the next century.

In May of 1995, in a field test in Lewiston, Illinois, Advanced Fuels converted a Caterpillar diesel engine/generator to use A-21 fuel in just under two hours. The generator was the sole source of power for a local machine shop using about 250 gallons of fuel a day. The test concluded as scheduled with 2800 hours or the equivalent of 150,000 road miles of sucessful operation. Current tests include a field demonstration in the Peoria area involving a national trucking firm that has to date rung up 10,000 flawless miles of daily local service using the A-21 fuel. Coinciding with these tests, Advanced Fuels opened its first large scale commercial fuel mixing site in East Peoria, Illinois. This facility has a fuel production capability of approximately 7,000,000 gallons per year.

In September, 1995, Advanced Fuels began a joint 6-month demonstration project with Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Nevada to use the A-21 fuel to provide power to the SPP power grid in Northern Nevada. The A-21 powered generator provides around-the-clock power for several hundred homes and businesses and has logged over 3000 hours to date.

Past History and Future Plans

The genesis for this fuel came about in 1992, when Mr. Rudolph W. Gunnerman formed the company A-55, a limited partnership brought together to market the precursor to A-21 fuel, the A-55 technology. On October 20, 1992, U.S. patent #5,156,114 "Aqueous Fuel for Internal Combustion Engine and Method of Combustion" was issued to Mr.Gunnerman, president of A-55. In 1994, A-55 Gunnerman and Caterpillar Inc. formed a joint venture company, Advanced Fuels, to commercialize what is now called the A-21 fuel, and associated technologies worldwide.

Company policy has been to focus on government and private fleets as early conversion customers for ease of fuel distribution. With the recognization of A-21 by the state of Nevada, much of the future expansion of the A-21 technology will be focused on the Reno and Las Vegas markets as well as expanding Advanced Fuels projects in Illinois and a pilot project with the city of Sacramento. Plans are in the works for a large scale test involving railroads in the Reno/Sparks area of Nevada. To keep up with the expected and increasing fuel demands, a Reno based, fully automated A-21 mixing station capable of producing 15,000,000 gallons of fuel per year was due to be completed in February of 1996.

In the future it is expected auto conversion kits will be available to the general public, with the conversions to be performed by certified mechanics in only a few hours. Initial costs are expected to range from $1200 to $1500 for a conventional engine, depending on size, and from $2000 to $15,000 per diesel conversion, again dependent on engine size. Costs associated with these conversions can be expected to be reduced as demand increases, and it is possible we may see new cars in the not-too-distant future coming to us ready to run A-21 fuel. And don't worry too much about A-21 availability at that point; once converted, an engine can just as easily run standard fuels.

Technical Data

The modifications to the engines consist mainly of a new fuel regulator and the insertion of a non-deteriorating metal catalyst into each combustion chamber. The catalyst, in conjunction with the heat and pressure of the combustion chamber, transforms the A-21 fuel into a combustible hydrogen fuel. Without the catalyst, standard engines will not perform efficiently and may be damaged by use of A-21 fuel.

Initial test results of A-21 fuel emissions have shown significant reductions in hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, NOX (nitrous-oxide) and diesel smoke and soot, up to 70% in diesel applications. Test results have shown a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide output due to the more efficient combustion process of the carbon fuel while the reduced NOX output is due to the cooler combustion process of the A-21 fuel. After the combustion process, 70% of the exhaust stream consists of water vapor. Tests have shown no dissolved and harmful products contained in this vapor.