Regan Brown
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and ethanol, has been touted as a green fuel or future fuel due to its renewable nature and reduced environmental impact. However, its impact on fuel efficiency and engine performance has been a subject of debate. While ethanol is known to increase power and performance, with a higher octane number than gasoline, its lower energy density can result in reduced fuel economy, especially with higher ethanol blends. On the other hand, ethanol's cooling properties and improved engine efficiency contribute to enhanced fuel efficiency.
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What You'll Learn
Gasohol's ethanol content can cause water contamination in the fuel system
Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline hydrocarbons and ethanol. Ethanol can be produced from corn. The use of ethanol-based fuels is becoming more common, increasing the likelihood of ethanol-based fuel spills during transportation and storage. One of the main concerns with the supply of ethanol-based fuels is the potential for "phase separation" in gasoline that contains ethanol. Phase separation occurs when enough water contaminates the gasoline, causing the ethanol to bind to the water molecules, resulting in two distinct layers in the storage tank. The top layer is a gasoline-only layer, and the bottom layer is an ethanol/water mixture.
The amount of water tolerated by a gasoline/ethanol blend depends on the product temperature. For example, a 10% ethanol blend at 60°F will tolerate approximately 0.5% water, but at 10°F, the tolerance is reduced to approximately 0.3%. Special phase separation "alert" dispenser filters have been developed to detect phase separation by slowing fuel flow to less than 1 gallon per minute.
Ethanol blends are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air, increasing the potential for phase separation during storage if the tank is vented to the atmosphere and condensation forms due to temperature changes. Therefore, it is essential that motor fuels containing ethanol are not exposed to water during distribution or use, and proper housekeeping at the service station and other points along the supply chain is important to prevent water contamination.
Contamination of ethanol can increase fuel corrosivity, causing swelling in some elastomer engine parts. Yeast metabolism during fermentation can also result in sulfite contamination, which can be oxidised to sulfate during storage. Sulfate contamination has significant impacts on vehicle engines, such as injector plugging and gum formation.
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Gasohol delivers 30% less mileage than 100% gasoline
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline hydrocarbons and ethanol alcohol, delivers 30% less mileage than 100% gasoline. This means that, if gasoline is selling for $3.00 per gallon, ethanol selling for more than $2.10 per gallon would be a bad deal in terms of mileage.
The difference in fuel economy between ethanol and gasoline depends on the blend used. For instance, E85 with 83% ethanol content gives nearly 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. The impact on fuel economy decreases with the decrease in ethanol content. Gasohol with 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline will, therefore, deliver significantly less mileage than pure gasoline.
Ethanol is more energy-efficient than gasoline and offers more octane, which increases efficiency and engine performance. However, ethanol is not a perfect fuel additive, especially for older cars, as it can cause harm to fuel systems and engines. Water contamination and fuel separation are the most critical problems caused by ethanol. When the 'gasohol' absorbs sufficient water, fuel water contamination happens in the gas tank of the car, affecting engine performance. When the car rests for some time, fuel separation follows, and the gas and water develop layers in the gas tank. If the motor drains off the water layer into the engine, severe and expensive loss occurs.
Despite these drawbacks, ethanol is being blended and sold as it burns cleaner in comparison with pure gasoline. Ethanol is also a renewable fuel formed from biomass, making it a more environmentally friendly option.
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Ethanol is a renewable fuel source
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and ethanol, can impact a car's fuel efficiency depending on the ethanol content in the blend. While ethanol is a renewable fuel source made from plant materials or biomass, its energy content is lower than that of gasoline, affecting the fuel economy of a vehicle.
Ethanol as a Renewable Fuel Source
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a renewable fuel made from biomass, which includes various plant materials such as corn grain, sugar cane, wood chips, crop residues, and cellulosic feedstocks. In the United States, 94% of ethanol is produced from the starch in corn grain, while Brazil, the second-largest consumer of fuel ethanol, uses sugar cane. Trees and grasses used for cellulosic ethanol production require less fuel, fertilizers, and water to grow than grains, and they can thrive on non-arable land.
Ethanol is considered a renewable energy source because the production and combustion of ethanol achieve a full cycle, although some energy is needed to convert raw feedstock into ethanol. The process of producing ethanol fuel from corn, for example, demonstrates a positive energy balance, meaning it does not require more energy than the amount of energy contained in the fuel itself. Additionally, when cellulosic feedstocks are used, the fossil fuel energy required in production is reduced.
Impact of Gasohol on Fuel Efficiency
The impact of gasohol or ethanol-blended gasoline on a car's fuel efficiency depends on the ethanol content in the blend. Ethanol has a lower energy content than gasoline, so blends with higher ethanol content may result in lower fuel economy. For instance, E85, which contains 83% ethanol, delivers nearly 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. However, if engines were optimized for higher ethanol blends, fuel economy could increase due to improved engine efficiency.
Ethanol also has a higher octane number than gasoline, which helps increase engine efficiency and performance. Additionally, ethanol burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline, reducing air pollution and engine knocking. Despite these advantages, ethanol has been known to cause harm to fuel systems and engines, particularly in older cars. Water contamination and fuel separation are common issues, as ethanol absorbs water, leading to corrosion and performance issues.
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Ethanol has a higher octane number than gasoline
Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is a biofuel that can be used as an additive or primary fuel in petrol-powered engines. It is often blended with gasoline to create "gasohol". Typically, gasoline contains E10, which is a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. This blend is also known as "regular unleaded" and is suitable for most engines.
The impact of ethanol-blended fuel on a vehicle's fuel economy depends on the ethanol content in the blend and whether the engine is optimized to run on gasoline or ethanol. For example, E85, which contains 51-83% ethanol, gives nearly 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. However, if engines were optimized for higher ethanol blends, fuel economy would likely increase due to improved engine efficiency.
While ethanol-blended fuel can improve engine performance and fuel efficiency, it is important to note that it may also cause harm to fuel systems and engines. Ethanol absorbs water, leading to water contamination in the gas tank. Additionally, ethanol can cause corrosion in the fuel system, resulting in rust on metal parts and cracks or deformities in plastic parts.
To summarize, ethanol has a higher octane number than gasoline, which can improve engine performance and fuel efficiency when blended correctly. However, it is important to consider the potential drawbacks of using ethanol-blended fuel, such as water contamination and corrosion.
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Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline and ethanol
Ethanol has been named the "green fuel" or "future fuel" as it burns more cleanly and fully than gasoline. It also cools down engines twice as much as gasoline when vaporized and offers more octane, which helps increase efficiency. The carbon dioxide emitted by a car when ethanol is burned is counterbalanced by the carbon dioxide trapped when the feedstock crops are farmed to produce ethanol. However, ethanol has been known to cause harm to fuel systems and engines. Water contamination and fuel separation are the most critical problems. Ethanol draws and absorbs water, and when the gasohol absorbs sufficient water, fuel water contamination happens in the gas tank of the car. This affects engine performance. When the car is rested for some time, fuel separation follows, and the gas and water develop layers in the gas tank. As ethanol is an alcohol, it also causes corrosion in the fuel system.
The difference in impact on fuel economy depends on the energy difference in the blend used. For instance, E85 with 83% ethanol content gives nearly 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. The impact on fuel economy decreases with the decrease in ethanol content. Engines in gasoline vehicles together with FFVs (flexible-fuel vehicles) are optimized for gasoline. Fuel economy would probably increase due to increased engine efficiency if they were optimized for higher ethanol blends.
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Frequently asked questions
Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline hydrocarbons and ethanol alcohol.
The impact of gasohol on a car's fuel efficiency depends on the blend used. For instance, E85 with 83% ethanol content gives nearly 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. The impact on fuel economy decreases with the decrease in ethanol content.
Ethanol is a renewable fuel formed from biomass and burns more cleanly and fully than gasoline. It also cools down engines twice as much as gasoline when vaporized and offers more octane, which helps increase efficiency.
