[edit] Fuel Additives: The Real Story
Gasoline additives are used to try to increase the octane rating of the fuel as well as a corrosion inhibitor or as a lubricator to improve the fuel to engine issues. These all assist in using higher compression ratios for greater efficiency and power. There are many different types of additives; all of them have different purposes. Some are extremely damaging to the environment.
The types of additives include oxygenates, ethers, antioxidants (stabilizers), antiknock agents, fuel dyes, metal deactivators, corrosion inhibitors and some that can't be categorized. Let's take a closer look.
• Oxygenates – are fuels infused with oxygen. They are used to reduce the carbon monoxide emissions creating when burning fuel. Oxygenates can be based on either alcohol or ethers.
• Alcohol – methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, n-butanol, and gasoline grade t-butanol
• Ethers – methyl tert-butyl ether, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, diisopropyl ether, tertiary amyl methyl ether, tertiary hexyl methyl ether.
• Antioxidants –Some antioxidants are used as a stabilizer in fuel to prevent oxidation. Examples of some antioxidants used are:
• Butylated hydroxytoluene
• 2,4-Dimethyl-6-tert-butylphenol
• 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol
• Phenylene diamine
• Ethylene diamine
• Antiknock Agents – is a gasoline additive that works to reduce engine knocking while trying to increase the octane rating of the fuel. The mixture of air and gas in a traditional car engine has a problem with igniting too early and when it does, it causes a knocking noise.
• Tetra-ethyl lead
• Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
• Ferrocene
• Iron pentacarbonyl
• Toluene
• Isooctane
• Fuel Dyes – are dyes that are added to fuels. Some countries dye a fuel that is taxed at a lower rate to identify it when used incorrectly. Untaxed are the dyed fuels and taxed fuels are clear. For example, in the United Kingdom, the fuel they use for agriculture and construction vehicles are taxed at a different rate than for fuel used for commuter vehicles. They dye this fuel red. If a vehicle is found to have this fuel in it and not being used for the express purposes that it was intended for then there is a heavy penalty involved. The most often used colors are:
• Solvent Red 24 and 26
• Solvent Yellow 124
• Solvent Blue 35
• Metal deactivators – are fuel additives and lubricant additives that are used to stabilize the fuel. It works by deactivating metal ions. Metal deactivators inhibit the formation of gummy residues. An example of a metal deactivator that is often used for gasoline is N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-propanediamine. This compound has been approved for both military and commercial use.
• Corrosion inhibitors – these chemical compounds slow down metal corrosion. A good corrosion inhibitor will give 95% inhibition in certain circumstances. Examples of some corrosion inhibitors are sodium nitrite, hexamine, and phenylenediamine.
• Others –there are several other fuel additives that don't fall into the same categories as the above. Some of these are:
• Acetone – this is a vaporization additive. It is used, together with methanol, to improve vaporization when the engine starts up.
• Nitromethane – is used to up the engine power – commonly referred to as 'nitro.'
• Ferrous picrate is used to improve combustion and increase mileage.
• Ferox – this is a catalyst additive used to:
• Increase fuel efficiency
• Clean the engine
• Extend the life of the engine
• Lower emissions
As you can see, there are many elements involved in creating fuel additives that work toward improving engine performance, Better Gas Mileage while also working to lower the damaging emissions from the fuel exhaust. Before any of these product combinations can be marketed, they must go through stringent testing. The first and foremost issue is to protect the consumer.
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