Mercedes Mullins
Ethanol is an alcohol derived from corn or sugarcane refining leftovers that can be used as fuel for cars. It is a sustainable option that burns cleaner than petroleum-based fuels. However, it has lower energy density than gasoline, which can lead to lower fuel economy. Additionally, ethanol can corrode metal and rubber components in engines not designed to handle it. While some modern engines have improved ethanol compatibility, it is not widely used due to economic and environmental concerns.
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What You'll Learn
- Ethanol is a high-octane fuel, allowing for more compression than gasoline
- Indy cars use ethanol, but it is more expensive to produce than gasoline
- Ethanol is derived from corn in the US and sugarcane in Brazil
- Ethanol is corrosive to fuel system components and not all engines are prepared for it
- Ethanol is more sustainable and burns cleaner than pure petroleum-based fuels
Ethanol is a high-octane fuel, allowing for more compression than gasoline
Ethanol is a high-octane fuel, with a rating of about 109, which is much higher than that of gasoline. Octane ratings are a measure of a fuel's ability to avoid 'knock', which is when fuel is prematurely ignited in the engine's cylinder, degrading efficiency and potentially damaging the engine. The higher the octane number, the more resistant the fuel is to knock. This means that ethanol's high octane rating allows for more compression than gasoline.
The use of higher-octane fuels also enables higher compression ratios, turbocharging, and downsizing/downspeeding, all of which enable greater engine efficiency and higher performance. This is why high-octane fuel is often marketed as 'premium'. Automotive manufacturers have expressed interest in raising the minimum octane pool in the United States to enable smaller, more efficient engines, which would increase vehicle efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions through decreased petroleum consumption.
Ethanol is often blended with gasoline to boost its octane rating. Most gasoline in the US contains up to 10% ethanol, with blends of up to 15% available in some areas. This blend is known as E15 and is considered safe for use in flexible-fuel vehicles, as well as 2001 and newer cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty SUVs. However, E15 should not be used in motorcycles or other small engines, heavy-duty trucks, or non-road vehicles such as boats and snowmobiles.
While ethanol can be used as a fuel, it is not widely used due to several drawbacks. Firstly, ethanol is more expensive to produce than gasoline, and it has lower energy per unit. Additionally, ethanol can be corrosive to fuel system components, and it can dry out rubber parts, leading to premature failure. Furthermore, ethanol releases more carbon dioxide than gasoline due to the way the feedstock (such as corn or sugarcane) is grown.
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Indy cars use ethanol, but it is more expensive to produce than gasoline
Indy cars use ethanol as fuel, but it is more expensive to produce than gasoline. In 2005, the Indy Racing League began to consider ethanol as a fuel source for its cars, and in 2006, the IndyCar Series switched from methanol to a 90% methanol and 10% ethanol blend. By 2007, this had changed to a 98% ethanol and 2% gasoline blend, and since 2018, IndyCar has been using an 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline blend.
The switch to ethanol was sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and supported by influential figures in the corn and ethanol industries, such as Missouri GOP Sen. Jim Talent. The adoption of ethanol as a fuel source in IndyCar was meant to counter the perception that ethanol does not perform as well as gasoline or other fuels. Racing officials also promoted the importance of using a homegrown and environmentally friendly fuel.
However, critics of the switch to ethanol in IndyCar argue that it has more to do with the politics of corn than the actual need for high-performance racing fuel. Gregory Dolan, vice president of communications and policy for the Methanol Institute, predicted that IndyCar's fuel costs would rise with the switch to ethanol. Indeed, ethanol is more expensive to produce than gasoline because it requires a lot of grain and large facilities to process it.
In addition to the higher cost, there are other drawbacks to using ethanol as a fuel. Ethanol has lower energy per unit than gasoline, which means worse fuel economy. It is also corrosive to fuel system components, and it dries out rubber, causing premature failure of hoses, o-rings, and gaskets.
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Ethanol is derived from corn in the US and sugarcane in Brazil
Ethanol is a domestically produced alternative fuel that can be used in cars. It is most commonly made from corn in the United States, with most ethanol plants being located in the Midwest due to proximity to corn production. In Brazil, ethanol is derived from sugarcane refining leftovers, which is a more efficient process than that of the US. Sugarcane contains water (73-76%), soluble solids (10-16%), and dry fiber or bagasse (11-16%). The production of ethanol from sugarcane involves a series of physical and chemical processes that occur in seven steps to make ethanol and sugar.
The first step of the process is the extraction of juice, which also produces bagasse. The juice is then sent to one of two stages: the second stage, which eventually leads to sugar, or the third stage, which leads to ethanol. The second stage produces treated juice and cake, while the third stage also produces treated juice. This treated juice is then sent to the fermentor, where it becomes wine. The fermentation step is where the juice and molasses are mixed to obtain a 10-20% sucrose solution. Yeast and nutrients are added to keep the yeast growing, and the reaction is kept under fermentation conditions by cooling.
In the US, ethanol is primarily made from corn, but it can also be produced from cellulosic feedstocks such as crop residues, wood, and grass, although this is less common. The dry milling process, used by nearly 90% of ethanol plants due to lower capital costs, grinds corn into flour and ferments it into ethanol. Wet mills, on the other hand, separate starch, protein, and fiber in corn before processing these components into products like ethanol, corn sweeteners, corn oil, and starch.
While ethanol can be a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based fuels, it also has some drawbacks. It is more expensive to produce than gasoline, and it is less energy-dense, leading to lower fuel economy. Additionally, ethanol can damage certain engines and fuel systems over time, especially in older vehicles. However, newer vehicles and flexible-fuel vehicles can use blends of ethanol and gasoline, such as E15, without significant issues.
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Ethanol is corrosive to fuel system components and not all engines are prepared for it
Ethanol also attracts bacteria, specifically acetobacter, which excrete acetic acid, a highly corrosive substance. If fuel sits for long periods, these microorganisms multiply, leading to damaging levels of acetic acid in the fuel system. This is a particular issue for stored vehicles or equipment. Over time, ethanol can cause corrosion, damaging fuel pumps and systems, and affecting the performance of engines.
Ethanol can also degrade rubber and plastic parts in engines and fuel lines, leading to costly repairs. It dries out rubber, causing hoses, o-rings, and gaskets to fail prematurely. This is especially prevalent in small engines like lawnmowers.
To avoid long-term damage caused by ethanol, fuel stabilizers or additives can be used, such as Biobor EB, which is designed to prevent corrosion and protect fuel systems. Regular maintenance checks and inspections of the fuel system are essential to mitigate potential issues.
While ethanol has benefits, such as sustainability and cleaner burning, its corrosive nature and incompatibility with certain engines and fuel types highlight the importance of understanding its properties and taking precautions when using ethanol-blended fuels.
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Ethanol is more sustainable and burns cleaner than pure petroleum-based fuels
Ethanol is a type of alcohol derived from corn. It can be used as a fuel for cars, although it is typically mixed with petroleum fuel. This is because using ethanol as a fuel has some drawbacks. Firstly, it is more expensive to produce than gasoline. Secondly, it is less energy-dense than gasoline, leading to worse fuel economy. Finally, ethanol has a drying effect on rubber, causing certain engine components to fail prematurely.
Despite these drawbacks, ethanol is advantageous because it is more sustainable and burns cleaner than pure petroleum-based fuels. Firstly, ethanol is a zero-carbon emission fuel. The plants from which ethanol is derived remove carbon from the air, and when ethanol is combusted, it releases the same amount of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. In this way, ethanol simply recycles atmospheric carbon.
Furthermore, ethanol reduces toxic emissions. Gasoline produces a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and other compounds, including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. In contrast, ethanol produces more water and does not produce any hydrocarbons when combusted. The absence of these toxic chemicals in ethanol means that it presents a lower risk to human health than gasoline. For example, a 2021 study by the Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, and the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois Chicago found that using ethanol as fuel can significantly reduce the risk of cancer.
However, it is important to note that the sustainability of ethanol depends on its source. For example, Brazilian ethanol is made from the leftovers of sugarcane refining, whereas American ethanol is made from corn. The process of growing corn requires more energy and leads to more emissions than the process of refining sugarcane. In fact, some studies have found that corn-based ethanol is worse for the climate than gasoline due to emissions from land use changes, processing, and combustion.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, cars can use ethanol as fuel. However, it is usually mixed with petroleum fuel. Pure ethanol or E85 is not always easy to get and it’s corrosive to fuel system components.
Ethanol is a sustainable fuel option that burns cleaner than fuels that are purely petroleum-based. It is also a high-octane fuel, which means it can be compressed much further than the typical gasoline ratio of 10:1.
Ethanol has lower energy per unit than gasoline, which leads to lower fuel economy. It is also more expensive to produce than gasoline. Additionally, ethanol can corrode metals and rubbers in engines that aren't designed to handle it.
Flex Fuel vehicles, as well as 2001 and newer cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty SUVs, can use E15 fuel, which contains 15% ethanol. Several cars sold in North America and Europe, such as the Corolla, Civic, 320i, C Class, A4, and Prius, have been modified to run on E100 fuel.
You should check your vehicle's manual to see what type of fuel is recommended by the manufacturer. If your car is a 2001 model or older, it will likely recommend using fuel with no more than 10% ethanol.
