[hotrod]

Yes Isopropyl acohol will work fine as a fuel. However note that it has significantly less ability to absorb heat during vaporization, and the proper fuel air, water injection amounts will be different with isopropyl acohol than on methanol or ethanol. In WWII Pratt and Whittney engine tests they discovered that the calibration for the ADI system would not work properly with isopropyl but was acceptable with both methanol and ethanol. This was traced to the lower limit of flamability limits of the respective alcohols. At the typical 50/50 mix used during the war, the isopropyl alcohol was acting more like a fuel (engine running rich) than it was a fuel air coolant.

UPDATED 5/13/04 old numbers had errors

The major differences in the alcohols has to do with their contained oxygen and the latent heats of evaporation.

Methanol -- Oxygen content 49.9% by wt, latent heat of vaporization 1099.45 KJ/Kg . K = 262.6 BTU/lb . F
Ethanol ----- Oxygen content 34.7% by wt, latent heat of vaporization 854.62 KJ/kg . K = 204.1 BTU/lb . F

Isopropyl --C3H8O--- Oxygen content 26.66% by wt, latent heat of vaporization 666.7 KJ/kg . K = 159.24 BTU/lb . F


Larry