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Natural Gas as Engine Fuel | Advantages and Disadvantages

Natural gas as IC Engine Fuel :

Natural gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly including varying amounts of other hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide. Natural gas is an energy source often used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It is also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and other commercially
important organic chemicals.

Natural gas is found in deep underground natural rock formations or associated with other hydrocarbon reservoirs in coal beds and as methane clathrates. Petroleum is also another resource found in proximity to and with natural gas. Most natural gas was created over time by two mechanisms: biogenic and thermogenic. Biogenic gas is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, landfills, and shallow sediments. Deeper in the earth, at greater temperature and pressure, thermogenic gas is created from buried organic material.

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Advantages of Natural Gas :

Natural gas (largely methane) burns more cleanly than the other fossil fuels (45% less carbon dioxide emitted than coal and 30% less than oil)
It is easily transported via pipelines and fairly easily using tankers (land and sea)
It can be piped into homes to provide heating and cooking and to run a variety of appliances.
Where homes are not piped, it can be supplied in small tanks.
It can be used as a fuel for vehicles (cars, trucks and jet engines) where it is cleaner than gasoline or diesel.
It is used to produce ammonia for fertilizers, and hydrogen, as well as in the production of some plastics and paints.
It’s relatively abundant, clean burning and seems easy to distribute.
It’s also lighter than air, so if there is a leak it will tend to dissipate, unlike propane, which is heavier than air and pools into explosive pockets.
It can be used for heating, cooking, hot water, clothes dryer, backup generator power, and so forth.
Some places will supply it to your house by way of underground pipes.
Natural gas is more economical than electricity,
It is faster when used in cooking and water heating and most gas appliances are cheaper than electrical ones.
Gas appliances also do not create unhealthy electrical fields in your house.

Disadvantages of Natural Gas :

Even though it is cleaner than coal and oil, it still contributes a large amount of carbon dioxide to greenhouse gases.
By itself natural gas is mostly methane, which is 21 times more dangerous for greenhouse warming than carbon dioxide so any leakage of the gas (from animals, landfills, melting tundra, etc.) contributes strongly to greenhouse emissions.
If your house is not properly insulated it can be very expensive.
It can leak, potentially causing an explosion.

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