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Comparative Analysis on Characteristics of Gasoline & Gasoline

Methanol blend

Venkata Kalyan Chivukula1,a and M.V.Aditya Nag 2,b 1

Reykjavik Energy Graduate School of Sustainable Systems, University of Reykjavik, Reykjavik,Menntavegur 1, Iceland.

2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering &Technology, Hyderabad 500090, Andhra Pradesh, India.

a chivukula09@ru.is, b nagaditya88@yahoo.com

Keywords: Methanol; gasoline; properties; compatibility; renewable; analysis

Abstract. Researchers, environmentalists, and policy makers are keen to reduce the dependency on

use of fossil fuels towards climate change. Various alternatives are being implemented for alternate

sources of energy for transportation sector; Biofuels can reduce the dependency on the import of thefossil fuels. Different kind of biofuels are available compositions are alcohols, ethers, esters etc.

Commonly available biofuels are ethanol, methanol and biodiesel. They can be produced from

various thermo-chemical and bio-chemical processes. Methanol has been gaining momentum as a

 potential alternative for traditional fossil fuels in transportation sector. There is an increased trend in

the development of methanol as a fuel around the world. This paper deals with the study of the use

of methanol as an automotive fuel. Methanol has certain positive properties on the vehicle’s 

 performance. However, methanol cannot be used directly as a fuel in the vehicles due to volatility

and compatibility issues. But it could be used as a blend with the gasoline for its characteristics such

as high octane number and lower emissions. Blending of methanol with gasoline will have affect on

the properties of blend, this paper discusses about the change in properties and its effects on engine.  

Introduction

In the recent times there is an increasing trend in the use of methanol as an alternative source of fuel

for the transportation sector in both developed and developing nations. Majorly, methanol can be

used as a blend with gasoline due to its positive characteristics such as high octane number and

lower emissions. Methanol is harder to ignite; it burns more slowly and emits lower radiant energy.

Some of the main benefits of using methanol as a transportation are methanol fuelled vehicles have

lesser emissions of carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbon emissions and particulate matter from

the exhaust of the vehicles as compared to the gasoline and diesel fuelled engines. Methanol is used

as a motor racing fuel for its high antiknock property. Methanol has high blending octane value

(BOV). Blending the lower Octane Number fuel with the methanol will effectively increase theoctane number of the fuel. Methanol’s allowance for higher compression ratios results in the higher 

output from the combustion of the fuel. Methanol is a volatile substance, it readily evaporates.

Methanol could be used as a good volatile substance for the gasoline methanol blend. [1, 2]

Table 1 Comparison of fuel properties of gasoline, methanol and ethanol [3]  

 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 588-589 (2012) pp 111-114© (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.588-589.111

 All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,www.ttp.net. (ID: 123.236.128.134-21/09/12,16:59:14)

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Research Methodology & Experimentation process

Tests have been performed on the gasoline available in the market for the study, effects on the

 properties of gasoline methanol blends against the national fuel specification requirement. In

Europe several steps have been taken to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reducing green house gas

emissions. Gasoline is a mixture of different hydrocarbons. It has a range of boiling point ranges

from 250C to 2000C. The different properties of the gasoline changes with the quantity of the

elements present in the gasoline. When methanol is added to the gasoline to form gasoline methanol

 blend, some of properties of the gasoline methanol are expected to change. Though, some of the

 properties of the gasoline methanol blend can be determined directly, but to determine some

 properties it is essential to perform experiments to determine the properties. The gasoline methanol

 blend must meet the standards laid down by the EN 228. EN 228 is an official document which

controls the requirement and the standard test methods for the automotive fuel. In the EN 228

document only 3% v/v methanol is allowed to be blended with gasoline. The EN 228 standards are

laid down by the CEN members which is the European Committee for Standardization. Tests have

 been conducted on gasoline 97% (v/v) with methanol 3% (v/v) blended together to make gasoline

methanol blend. Other properties listed in the table such as hydrocarbon analysis, Oxygen content,oxygenates, sulphur content and lead content can be directly calculated by dilution. For other 

 properties such as Octane number, Vapour Pressure and distillation tests were conducted. [2, 4].

Results and Discussion

Obtained results were taken as an average and error limit was calculated for the creditability of the

results. Tests have been performed for the properties listed in the table 2.From the table 3, it can be

observed that the test conducted for the properties required by the European fuel quality directives

are tested and the obtained results show that adding of 3% methanol in gasoline will not affect the

 properties of gasoline fuel. Hence, methanol can be used as a potential blend component with

gasoline. [5, 6]Table 2 Gasoline fuel specification Table 3 Acceptability results for gasoline

requirements in EN 228 [4] methanol blends [4]

Relationship between Reid Vapour Pressure (RVP) of Gasoline & gasoline methanol blends

(RM3).

According to the observations made from figure 1 and test results for Reid Vapour Pressure(RVP) of RM3 was about 80.5 kPa which is higher than the maximum permissible vapor pressure

required by the standards. Fuel with higher vapour pressure could cause problems related to the fuel

systems such as vapor lock and cold start etc. However, the vapor pressure can be compensated by

112 Advances in Mechanics Engineering

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adding higher alcohol co-solvents such as ethanol, iso-propanol and 2- propanol etc. Methanol is

itself a corrosive fuel, contamination of the fuel with the outside agents will aggravate the corrosion

of the machine parts, fuel tanks, elastomers and polymers associated to the engine. Addition of the

higher alcohols with the gasoline methanol blends is necessary for reducing the chances of causing

damage to the vehicle.

Figure 2 RVP of base gasoline and RM3

Figure 3 Distillation characteristics of gasoline and RM3 Relationship between the distillation Characteristics between gasoline and gasoline

methanol blends (RM3).Tests were conducted on the gasoline and gasoline methanol blends (RM3) for the distillation

characteristics of the fuel. This test is to determine the percentage of distillate is recovered with the

increase in temperature of fuel. It can be seen from the obtained figure 2 that there is a slight

distortion in the distillation curve of RM3 fuel compared to the gasoline curve. The distortion of the

curve is in the mid-range of the distillation curve which could cause issues with rough acceleration

and poor economy. Since adding higher alcohol co-solvents could reduce the distortion of the

distillation curve of RM3 fuel and reduce the effects on the vehicle ’s driveability and performance.

Summary

It can be seen from the obtained results and discussion that 3% of methanol can be added to the

gasoline for its specific positive characteristics, obtained test results indicate that addition of 3% of 

methanol into gasoline is suitable for use. Properties that were tested and regulated remain well

within the range. Automotive companies must perform rigorous tests to investigate the effects of 

gasoline methanol blends in vehicles for customer acceptability. Rigorous and comprehensive fleet

and engine tests must be performed to identify any effects of the blends in the drivability and

compatibility of the tests as there is slight distortion in the distillation curve of the gasoline

methanol blend compared to the gasoline distillation curve. However, using of methanol may havesome negative effects on the engines problems such as increase in corrosion, poor performance,

drivability and material compatibility. Methanol also has water absorbing quality so water content

must be checked in logistics and storage of the fuel to avoid any occurrence of corrosion.  

Advanced Materials Research Vols. 588-589 113

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Acknowledgement:

The authors are grateful to the Reykjavik Energy Graduate School of Sustainable Systems,

University of Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Menntavegur 1, Iceland for the support and motivation for the

research.

References

[1] Anon., (n.d.). Biofuel technology. Retrieved from http://www.bp.com

[2] Cassady, P.E.US Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory. (1975). The Use of 

methanol as a motor vehicle fuel Retrieved from http://www.anl.gov

[3] Qi, DH, Liu, Sh Q, Zhang, Ch H, & Bian, Y Zh. (2005). Properties, performance, and Emissions

of methanol gasoline blends in a spark ignition engine.  Proceedings of the Institution of 

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[4] Anon., European Parliament, (2009).  Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of 

the council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of Energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealingDirectives 2001/77/EC and 003/30/EC  Retrieved from

http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:140:0016:0062:en:PDF

[5] Kowalewicz, A. (1993). Methanol as a fuel for spark ignition engines: a review and Analysis

. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile

 Engineering 1989 1996 , 207 . Retrieved from

http://archive.pepublishing.com/content/6418463l84030137/

[6] Kalyan Venkata Chivukula, “Optimization of low volume Renewable Methanol Blending”

Reykjavik Energy Graduate School of Sustainable systems, Reykjavik, Iceland, June, 2011.

114 Advances in Mechanics Engineering