A-21 Fuel Made with Water - 2/21/08

Water based A-21 fuel is a clean burning fuel developed by Reno inventor Rudolph Gunnerman.  The fuel was recently classified by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection as a recognized clean alternative fuel. 

A-21 stands for Advanced Fuel Technology for the 21st Century.  A-21 Fuel is a stable mixture of water and petroleum based naphtha.  Bonding and winterizing agents are added.  A-21 Fuel is made up of 55% water with the remainder consisting mostly of naphtha.  Naphtha is a petroleum product made from the early stages of the refinery process.   Everyone knows oil and water don’t mix.  Gunnerman invented an emulsifier, which blends them together into a milky liquid that can be used for fuel in both gasoline and diesel engines after minor modifications. 

Because A-21 fuel contains petroleum it cannot be classified as an alternative fuel by the Department of Energy.  The DOE is waiting on test results from Caterpillar before making any decisions on the fuel.

A few great benefits of A-21 fuel include:

• Clean burning, exceeding government emissions standards.
•  It is 50% less expensive than gasoline or diesel fuel.
• Naphtha requires far less energy to produce and is easier to extract from oil shale and sand tars.
• Due to A-21’s efficient burn traits, mileage and power is increased.
• A-21 fuel is unique in that it is a uni-fuel that can be used in both diesel and gasoline engines.
• A-21 is not volatile like gasoline and diesel, because it cannot sustain combustion outside the combustion chamber.
• Antifreeze prevents the high amount of water from freezing in cold weather.
• The fuel does not have the characteristics of water, so corrosion is not a factor.
• Exciting infrastructure can deliver A-21 for dispensing, using the same pumps and storage tanks.

The Nevada state Department of Environmental Protection tested A-21 using a 1991 Ford Taurus and found A-21 produced significantly lower hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emission, exceeding by a large margin federal emission standards.

Advanced Fuels converted a Caterpillar diesel engine/generator to use A-21 fuel in under two hours.  The test ended after 2800 hours of successful use in a real working environment.  Currently a national trucking company is testing A-21 and has 10,000 flawless miles using A-21 fuel.

The next plans for a large scale test will involve railroads in the Reno area of Nevada. 

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