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Eldo(at)unb.ca
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 Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:31 am Post subject: Octane Rating is not energy content in auto fuel - Its BTU ( |
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This is an interesting discussion; however there seems to be some confusion about the
actual definition of "octane rating." Technically it does not apply to diesel or kerosene
fuelled engines but only fuels made with heptane and octane; although the industry uses the
same definition for other blends that have equivalent response under compression. In
theory, an 87 Octane fuel is exactly what it says... it is made up of 87% octane and 13%
heptane (one is a carbon compound with 8 carbon atoms and the other with 7. Since octane
is a little more expensive to get out of the refining process, the industry has used a number
of additives over the years to make a blend with less octane behave under compression like
one with the higher percentage of octane. Adding another compound like alcohol means
they have to go back to the drawing board and change the additives in some way to get the
fuel to behave like an 87 octane. I suppose that is why the current limits in auto fuel
generally keep the substitution below 10% unless the engine has been specifically designed
for higher levels of alcohol. I think there may also be some concerns about alcohol
compatibility with seals and fuel lines but that is a whole other question.
For a much more complete description Octane/Heptane, see:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
Eldo Hildebrand
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