The vaporization characteristics unique to ethanol are the basis for new engine technology developed by EcoSense Solutions LLC of Franklin, Mo. A new air valve for carburetors, which injects a blend of 80 percent ethanol and 20 percent water into the combustion chamber, has been said to dramatically increase the fuel's efficiency and lower emissions.

The initial testing was conducted on a 460 cubic-inch, big-block Ford engine. The only modifications on the engine were to the carburetor. "All we're doing is letting ethanol burn how it wants to burn," said Greg Bacon, leader of the testing team and instructor in the automotive technology department at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan. "I don't understand why they have treated ethanol like gasoline in the past—it's not."

The project was started by AgNavigator LLC, a risk management group for farmers in the area of Bertrand, Neb., which was investigating ways to reduce irrigation costs. Stationary gasoline and diesel engines often power irrigation pumps. AgNavigator had heard about EcoSense Solutions and some of the work that had been done there by project developer Russell Gehrke, who invented the injection air valve.

Not only does the new process lower fuel costs, but it lowers emissions as well. New restrictions in California, for example, will require farmers to equip their stationary engines and heavy equipment with all of the latest emissions controls—catalytic converters, exhaust gas recirculation valves, etc.—which is costly to install. The direct injection system could be a much-needed alternative.

"Ethanol, with that percentage of water, actually burns cleaner than natural gas, but when we were running regular denatured ethanol, I was actually disappointed," Bacon said. Once the 20 percent blend of water was mixed with the fuel, combustion chamber efficiency doubled and required less ethanol to perform.

So what does this mean for ethanol refiners? "As long as they can find enough water, it is a good thing," Bacon said. "This testing we've done is great for ethanol because we've shown it's not only comparable in efficiency to gasoline, but we kicked its butt. Gasoline has nothing on us in terms of efficiency, and we made it burn cleaner than natural gas. I just hope they can find enough groundwater to run all these plants."