Dimethyl Ether Fueled Tractor

Dimethyl Ether Fueled Tractor

News: Recently, India’s first 100% Dimethyl Ether (DME) fuelled tractor/ vehicle for on- and off-road applications has been developed by IIT Kanpur.

Background:
 It is part of 'Methanol Economy' program of NITI Aayog, aiming to reduce India's oil import bill and greenhouse gas emissions.
 The project showcased higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions than the baseline diesel engine.

What is Dimethyl Ether Fuel?
 It is a synthetically produced alternative fuel that can be directly used in specially designed compression ignition diesel engines for various purposes.
 DME is a renewable alternative to crude oil.
 It is already put to use in countries such as USA, Japan etc.
 Under normal atmospheric conditions, DME is a colourless gas.
 It is a clean-burning fuel with low emission and low particulate matter.

Application of DME:
 Chemical industry, used as solvent, refrigerant
 Ozone friendly aerosol propellant

Why DME?
 Low particulate and soot emissions
 Alternative fuel option compared to crude oil imports
 Converting domestic coal reserves, low-value agricultural biomass waste, and municipal solid waste into methanol and DME can contribute to achieving these goals.