They have lots of power and heat available. Couldn't they either allow the water to boil off/evaporate, or simply plate the heavy metals onto something? Heavy metals are being removed in municipal drinking water systems through their adsorption onto iron...
As a side light, medical product sterilizers that use ETO have to get rid of this gas once it has been used. They convert it into ethylene glycol, which they still have to dispose of as a hazardous material... and we get cheap(er) engine coolant (I guess).
I rang Volvo Australia and was told 5% max and then I am not sure as even between brands there seems to be a difference in my Turbo if I push it .So far I have avoided the use of Methanol but as our Prime minister has a mate who is in to producing methanol it no doubt will be forced on us .My hose between my tanks rotted so did my wifes both cars were brought second hand from Sydney Australia where Methanol is common and it does rot hoses rubber and such .
And while I also would trust something I read on the internet, especially from someone who has a history of knowing what they're talking about, over some dealer service advisor whose function is to sell, sell, sell, a source better than either is the owners manual. The one for my '98 V70 (which is almost identical to the OP's '97 850 from a fuel system standpoint) states:
"Do not use gasolines containing methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). The practice can result in vehicle performance deterioration and can damage critical parts in the fuel system. Such damage may not be covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty."
In general, Mike F, I agree with you. However, the owner's manual (esp. well-pass warranty) may not be the best source of information either. For example, I use regular (87 octane) in my Volvo 850 - which is normally aspirated.
Neither the manual, nor the dealer recommend using 87 octane fuel. However, others on this group - such as Dr. Stephen Henning have used it with no ill effects on several Volvos including one similar to that which I drive.
So, I guess, whatever the source of information, one has to be able to whet it.
I generally agree with you. However, you have to understand that the car company also has a vested interest in saying what they do--it's a form of CYA. Tell the owner that they can't do anything but a very narrowly defined set of "correct use", and you've got a basis to void the warranty if something goes wrong with the car. I'm not saying that's true in this case, just pointing out that the owner's manual is not exactly an objective source of information. For example, I frequent the Miata newsgroup, and that owner's manual says to never, ever, ever, ever tow anything with the Miata. There are a several people on that newsgroup that have thousands of miles of towing trailers, without a mishap or damage to their car, and nobody there is saying "hey, guys, I have had problems towing a trailer with the Miata." Seems pretty clear that that part of the owner's manual is nothing but CYA.
Conclusive specifically about methanol. Methanol and ethanol are very different--methanol is much more hydroscopic and corrosive, and much more polar (i.e., likely to extract rubber additives), and thus much more likely to cause damage to an engine. Since they specifically mentioned methanol, I would read that to mean ethanol-containing fuels are fine.
Well what you are saying is true to an extent - and I know lots of people who tow with cars where the owners manual warns against it. But owners manuals are written also with a worst case scenario too, like if you're towing a trailer with your Miata up a mountain road at high speed on the hottest day of the year in the deserts of Arizona with the A/C on full blast while tailgating another car so closely that airflow to the rad is blocked. Or perhaps it's brake related, same scenario, this time going down the mountain, automatic transmission in Drive, riding the brakes all the way.
However in cases like using fuel, there's really only one scenario - using it is using it. And in this particular owners manual, I didn't post everything written about the fuel requirements, that was more than a whole page. It did allow a composition of up to 10% ethanol, as well as allowing other additives.
That is one thing that always comes to the top...that the cost of energy is increasing. Petroleum has been the king for a long time. There is no obvious and immediate successor to the throne.
However, in electric plants where coal is burned, the same heavy metals are left behind in the ash. The sulfur is still freed by the process.
Maybe your gas process is expensive, and the waste is nasty, but it is unlikely to be any worse than the waste generated by burning the coal.
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