How would/can a multifuel engine work?

Question

Would run on biodiesel, gasoline, ethanol, compresses natural gas, hydrogen, etc.

Answer 1

Multifuel engines have been around a long time, except for hydrogen which still isn't practical. They work like any other internal combustion engines. Many military engines used to be required to use different fuels like alcohol, kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel, coal oil (less refined kerosene), white gasoline (Coleman Stove fuel), propane, CNG, etc. It's still air/fuel-compression-spark to run. Sometimes they don't run as good as gasoline power, but they run 'good enough'. I once overhauled an Army surplus crane engine that was multifuel capable and they are basically the same inside and out. It was a 600 cubic inch inline 6 cylinder engine with a special carburetor.

Answer 2

Yep, CNG, Hydrogen & Propane would be one Any other "liquid" type Biodeisel, Gas,, white gas ethenol Etc. would be another. just adjusting the timing / Carberatioe on the latter allows them all to be used as the military had that requirement for a long time.

Answer 3

When we turn the key, what happens under the hood and why? How does an automobile engine work? What is that sound we hear and the propulsion we feel when the accelerator is depressed?
We know gasoline is flammable. It burns. And we know gasoline creates heat energy when it ignites. Heat created by the igniting gasoline and air mixture is what gives us the power necessary to propel our Mustangs. With all of this in mind, let’s talk about internal combustion engines. “Internal combustion” means we burn fuel and air inside the engine to create heat and generate the power necessary to propel a car.

“External combustion,” for example, is similar to that found with a steam engine. Fuel is burnt outside of the engine in a boiler to heat water that becomes steam and heat energy. With both internal and external combustion engines, heat energy (expansion) exerts force on a piston and connecting rod tied to a crankshaft to make rotary motion. In physics class, we call this turning linear motion into rotary motion.

Okay, so what does all of this “linear” and “rotary” stuff mean? Think about what you see when you’re watching an old episode of Petticoat Junction. The Cannonball steam locomotive to nearby Pixley has a series of arms tied to pistons and wheels. Steam pressure moves the piston, which moves the arm, which turns the wheels to propel the locomotive. Pistons and arms make linear (back and forth) motion. Wheels make rotary (around and around) motion. The wheels are counterweighted to help momentum.

“Chuga-chuga-chuga-chuga” motion that comes from steam pressure gets us down the track. Your Mustang’s engine works on the same principle, only the “chuga-chuga-chuga” motion is inside the engine, invisible from the outside.

The crankshaft, like locomotive wheels, is counterweighted for balance and momentum. Around and around it goes—channeling energy to your Mustang’s transmission, driveshaft, and rear axle