RE: [Chrysler300] Gas chemistry

["Albert Vannice" <mavche@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello again Everyone,
     Perhaps I can clarify things a little.  First, MTBE stands for
Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether.  Second, TEL had nothing to do with
stabilization or lifetime because the hydrocarbon molecules in gasoline
are very stable -- it affected the combustion behavior of the gas.
Third, relatively small amounts of certain hydrocarbons can give a
significant increase in octane number.  For example, the performance
with "iso-octane" (2,2,4-trimethyl pentane) is the standard to establish
100 octane, and the addition of about 20% toluene can increase the
octane number over 10 points.  (Ethyl ether can  give similar behavior,
as Ray Jones has mentioned.)  The major difference between the gasoline
thirty years ago and now is that aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene and
toluene cannot be added any more, with the argument being that they are
carcinogens and can cause cancer: however, I have always considered this
to be an inappropriate (i.e., stupid) argument because very few of us
either drink gasoline or sit around sniffing it (although I knew some
students at Stanford in the late sixties that would have been willing to
try it!)  As a sidelight, the catalytic reforming process used to
produce aromatics also produces a huge amount of hydrogen as a
by-product, which, if aromatics were still used in gas, would aid the
use of hydrogen-powered cars (I am no advocate of this) because
otherwise, there is presently no economically viable way to produce
molecular H2.  As a consequence, other additives had to be found to
boost octane number and, hopefully, at the same time reduce CO and NOx
emissions while not affecting catalytic mufflers.  Finally, I agree with
the sentiment against using ethanol from corn in gasoline, primarily
because putting food in your gas tank is not economically sound,
considering the costs of raising corn: however, I think most of this
market goes to the large corporations, who continually buy out the small
farmers (my parents still live on a ranch in Nebraska).  Anyway, I have
rambled on long enough.  Sorry. 
Al

M. Albert Vannice
W. H. Joyce Chair in Chemical Engineering
107 Fenske Laboratory 
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
Tel. (814) 863-4803
Fax (814) 865-7846

-----Original Message-----
From: L.Andrew Jugle [mailto:lajugle@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 5:59 PM
To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Chrysler300] Gas chemistry



Isn't MTBE Methyl Tert-Butyl Ethanol???The secret is to get as many 
complex bonds to condition the fuel rather than explode. Tetra Ethyl 
Lead was an additive that slowed combustion allowing short chain 
hydrocarbons in higher compression fuel mixes without pre-detonating 
allowing longer chain hydrocarbons to burn at same time.  TEL helped 
stabilize cracked long chains in synthetic fuels by giving longer 
shelf life...about two weeks!!

Research numbers are results of comparing fuel explosions in 
comparison to pure octane (thought to be the ultimate "pure fuel" 
hydrocarbon). The single cylinder "engine" is fired and height of 
free piston determines the rating as compared to octane reading 
as "100".   Since the tree huggers could not fathom the 
concept "octane rating" is now legislated.  Try as they might, the 
environmentalists cannot seem to re-write the laws of thermodynamics.

The primary difference of classic 60's Sunoco 260 and 
todays "Premium" is that modified long chain hydrocarbons aren't 
there. The fuel physically has less weight. More heat energy is 
produced and lost to engine and less energy is transffered to pistons.

Miles per gallon have been sacrificed to butterfly breath.

L. Andrew Jugle, Elmhurst,IL.

 





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