Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. The term gasoline is commonly used within the oil industry, even within companies that are not American. The word "gasoline" is commonly shortened in colloquial usage to "gas". The term mogas, short for motor gasoline, for use in cars is used to distinguish it from avgas, aviation gasoline used in (light) aircraft. This should be distinguished in usage from genuinely gaseous fuels used in internal combustion engines such as propane. World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west... Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent sovereign states, most of which are former colonies once governed by the United Kingdom as part of the British Empire. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths crust. ... A liquid will assume the shape of its container. ... In chemistry, a hydrocarbon is any chemical compounds that consists only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... For the workstation, see SGI Fuel. ... A colorized automobile engine An internal combustion engine is an engine that is powered by the expansion of hot combustion products of fuel directly acting within an engine. ... A colloquialism is an informal expression, that is, an expression not used in formal speech or writing. ... Avgas is a high-octane fuel used for aircraft and, in the past, racing cars. ... An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. ... For other meanings see gas (disambiguation). ... A three-carbon alkane, propane is sometimes derived from other petroleum products during oil or natural gas processing. ...

The United States uses 360 million US liquid gallons (1.36 billion litres) of gasoline each day. Western countries have among the highest usage rates per head. Some countries, eg in Europe, tax fuels such as gasoline heavily leading to greater efficiency and economy in car design. The gallon is a unit of volume used for measuring liquids (as well as dry matter). ... The word billion, and its equivalents in other languages, refer to one of two different numbers. ... The litre (or liter in US) is a metric unit of volume. ...

Petrol pumps in Germany

Petrol station pumps from pixelquelle. ... Petrol station pumps from pixelquelle. ...

Chemical analysis and production

Gasoline is produced in oil refineries. These days, material that is simply separated from crude oil via distillation, called natural gasoline, will not meet the required specifications (in particular octane rating; see below) for modern engines, but these streams will form part of the blend. View of the Shell/Valero Martinez oil refinery An oil refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into useful petroleum products. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petrus – rock and oleum – oil), mineral oil, or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths... Strathisla whisky distillery in Keith, Scotland Distillation is a means of separating liquids through differences in their boiling points. ...

The bulk of a typical gasoline consists of hydrocarbons with between 5 and 12 carbon atoms per molecule. In chemistry, a hydrocarbon is any chemical compounds that consists only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... Properties For alternative meanings see atom (disambiguation). ... In science, a molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its chemical composition and properties. ...

The various refinery streams that are blended together to make gasoline all have different characteristics. Some important streams are:

• Reformate, produced in a catalytic reformer with a high octane and high aromatics content, and very low olefins (alkenes).
• Cat Cracked Gasoline or Cat Cracked Naphtha, produced from a catalytic cracker, with a moderate octane, high olefins (alkene) content, and moderate aromatics level. Here, "cat" is short for "catalyst".
• Hydrocrackate (Heavy, Mid, and Light), produced from a hydrocracker, with medium to low octane and moderate aromatic levels.
• Natural Gasoline (has very many names), directly from crude oil with low octane, low aromatics (depending on the crude oil), some naphthenes (cycloalkanes) and zero olefins (alkenes).
• Alkylate, produced in an Alkylation unit, with a high octane and which is pure paraffin (alkane), mainly branched chains.
• Isomerate (various names) which is made by isomerising Natural Gasoline to increase its octane and is very low in aromatics and benzene content.

(The terms used here are not always the correct chemical terms. Typically they are old fashioned, but they are the terms normally used in the oil industry. The exact terminology for these streams varies by oil company and by country.) A reformation technique used to strip gasoline of impurities, improve octane rating etc. ... In chemistry, an aromatic molecule is one in which electrons are free to cycle around circular arrangements of atoms, which are alternately singly and doubly bonded to one another. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ... In petroleum geology and chemistry, cracking is the process whereby complex organic molecules (e. ... A synonym for the more widely accepted term, alkene. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ... A catalyst (Greek: καταλύτης, catalytis) is a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction, at some temperature, but without itself being transformed or consumed by the reaction (see also catalysis). ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petrus – rock and oleum – oil), mineral oil, or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petrus – rock and oleum – oil), mineral oil, or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths... Cycloalkanes are chemical compounds with a single ring of carbons to which hydrogens are attached according to the formula CnH2n. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ... Alkylation is the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another. ... An alkane in organic chemistry is a saturated hydrocarbon, that is, a hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds. ...

Overall a typical gasoline is predominantly a mixture of paraffins (alkanes), naphthenes (cycloalkanes), aromatics and olefins (alkenes). The exact ratios can depend on An alkane in organic chemistry is a type of hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds (they are saturated). ... Cycloalkanes are chemical compounds with a single ring of carbons to which hydrogens are attached according to the formula CnH2n. ... In chemistry, an aromatic molecule is one in which electrons are free to cycle around circular arrangements of atoms, which are alternately singly and doubly bonded to one another. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ...

• the oil refinery that makes the gasoline, as not all refineries have the same set of processing units.
• the crude oil used by the refinery on a particular day.
• the grade of gasoline, in particular the octane.

These days, gasoline in many countries has tight limits on aromatics in general, benzene in particular, and olefins (alkene) content. This is increasing the demand for high octane pure paraffin (alkane) components, such as Alkylate, and is forcing refineries to add processing units to reduce the benzene content. View of the Shell/Valero Martinez oil refinery An oil refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into useful petroleum products. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Latin petrus – rock and oleum – oil), mineral oil, or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths... In chemistry, an aromatic molecule is one in which electrons are free to cycle around circular arrangements of atoms, which are alternately singly and doubly bonded to one another. ... Benzene, C6H6, PhH, or benzol is a colorless and flammable liquid with a pleasant, sweet smell. ... An alkene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond. ... An alkane in organic chemistry is a saturated hydrocarbon, that is, a hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds. ... Benzene, C6H6, PhH, or benzol is a colorless and flammable liquid with a pleasant, sweet smell. ...

Gasoline can also contain some other organic compounds: such as organic ethers, (deliberately added) plus small levels of contaminants, in particular sulfur compounds such as disulfides and thiophenes. Some contaminants, in particular mercaptans and hydrogen sulfide must be removed because they cause corrosion in engines. An organic compound refers to any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon, with exception of carbides, carbonates and carbon oxides. ... An organic ether is essentially a water molecule with both hydrogen atoms replaced by hydrocarbons: H-O-H + 2 CH2=CH2 + acid catalyst <=> CH3CH2-O-H + CH2=CH2, H-O-H = water. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... In chemistry, a disulfide ion is an anion (negatively-charged ion) formed by two sulfur atoms having an overall -2 charge. ... Thiophene is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound. ... In chemistry, thiols (formerly known as mercaptans) are those compounds which contain the thiol group -SH attached to a carbon atom. ... For an alternative meaning for H2S, see H2S radar. ...

Volatility

Gasoline is more volatile than diesel or kerosene, not only because of the base constituents, but because of the additives that are put into it. The final control of volatility is often via blending of butane. The desired volatility depends on the ambient temperature: the hotter the weather, the lower the volatility. In Australia the volatility limit changes every month and differs for each main distribution centre, but most countries simply have a summer, winter and perhaps intermediate limit. Diesel fuel is a specific distillate fraction of fuel oil that is used in a diesel engine invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel, and perfected by Charles F. Kettering. ... Kerosene, gas oil, or paraffin (not the same as the waxy solid of that name) is a colorless flammable hydrocarbon liquid. ... Look up Additive in Wiktionary, the free dictionary When used as a noun, additive refers to something that is introduced to a larger quantity of something else, usually to alter characteristics of the larger quantity. ... Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3. ...

The maximum volatility of gasoline in many countries has been reduced in recent years to reduce the fugitive emissions during refuelling.

Octane rating

Main article: octane rating Petrol pumps in Germany Petrol (commonly known as gasoline in North America, and sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...

The most important characteristic of gasoline is its Research Octane Number (RON) or octane rating, which is a measure of how resistant gasoline is to premature detonation (knocking). It is measured relative to a mixture of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (an octane) and n-heptane. So an 87-octane gasoline has the same knock resistance as a mixture of 87% isooctane and 13% n-heptane. Octane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. ... Knocking (also called pinking or pinging)—technically detonation—in internal combustion engines occurs when fuel in the cylinder is ignited by the firing of the spark plug and smooth burning proceeds but some of the unburned mixture in the combustion chamber explodes before the flame front can reach it, combusting... 2,2,4-trimethylpentane is an octane isomer whose importance derives from being the 100 point on the octane rating scale. ... Octane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. ... Heptane (also known as dipropyl methane, gettysolve-C or heptyl hydride) is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)5CH3. ... Knock resistance is an air and fuel mixtures ability to resist rapid autoignition - when compressed in a spark ignited engine running at a specific temperature and compression ratio - long enough to avoid detonation or Engine knocking. ...

There is another type of Octane, called "Motor Octane Number" (MON), which is a better measure of how the fuel behaves when under load. Its definition is also based on the mixture of isooctane and n-heptane that has the same performance. Depending on the composition of the fuel, the MON of a modern gasoline will be about 10 points lower than the RON. Normally fuel specifications require both a minimum RON and a minimum MON.

In most countries (including all of Europe and Australia) the 'headline' octane that would be shown on the pump is the RON: but in the United States and some other countries the headline number is the average of the RON and the MON, sometimes called the "roaD Octane Number" or DON, or (R+M)/2. Because of the 10 point difference noted above this means that the octane in the United States will be about 5 points lower than the same fuel elsewhere: 87 octane fuel, the "normal" gasoline in the US and Canada, would be 92 in Europe. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: United States Wikinews has news related to this article: United States United States government Official website of the United States government - Gateway to governmental sites White House - Official site of the US President Senate. ...

Romania is a supplier of "light-sweet" crude oil, which, when distilled, resulted in a gasoline with an 87 rating (DON).

It is possible for a fuel to have a RON greater than 100, because isooctane is not the most knock-resistant substance available. Racing fuels, Avgas and LPG typically have octane ratings of 110 or significantly higher. Avgas is a high-octane fuel used for aircraft and, in the past, racing cars. ... Liquified petroleum gas (also called liquefied petroleum gas, liquid petroleum gas, LPG, LP gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing fluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. ...

It might seem odd that fuels with higher octane ratings burn less easily, yet are popularly thought of as more powerful. Using a fuel with a higher octane lets an engine be run at a higher compression ratio without having problems with knock. Compression is directly related to power, so engines that require higher octane usually deliver more power. Some high-performance engines are designed to operate with a compression ratio associated with high octane numbers, and thus demand high-octane gasoline. It should be noted that the power output of an engine also depends on the energy content of its fuel, which bears no simple relationship to the octane rating. Some people believe that adding a higher octane fuel to their engine will increase its performance or lessen its fuel consumption; this is false - engines perform best when using fuel with the octane rating they were designed for. The compression ratio is a single number that can be used to predict the performance of any internal-combustion engine. ... An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ...

The octane rating was developed by the chemist Russell Marker. The selection of n-heptane as the zero point of the scale was due to the availability of very high purity n-heptane, not mixed with other isomers of heptane or octane, distilled from the resin of Jeffrey Pine. Other sources of heptane produced from crude oil contain a mixture of different isomers with greatly differing ratings, which would not give a precise zero point. Russell Marker (1902 - 1995, was an American chemist who invented the octane rating system when he was working at the Ethyl Corporation. ... Heptane (also known as dipropyl methane, gettysolve-C or heptyl hydride) is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)5CH3. ... In chemistry, isomers are molecules with the same chemical formula and often with the same kinds of bonds between atoms, but in which the atoms are arranged differently. ... Octane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. ... Insect trapped in resin. ... Binomial name Pinus jeffreyi Balf. ...

Dangers

Many of the non-aliphatic hydrocarbons naturally present in gasoline (especially aromatic ones like benzene), as well as many anti-knocking additives, are carcinogenic. Because of this, any large-scale or ongoing leaks of gasoline pose a threat to the public's health should the gasoline reach a public supply of drinking water. The chief risks of such leaks come not from vehicles, but from gasoline delivery truck accidents and leaks from underground storage tanks. Because of this risk, most underground storage tanks now have extensive measures in place to detect and prevent any such leaks, such as sacrificial anodes. Gasoline is rather volatile (meaning it readily evaporates), requiring that storage tanks on land and in vehicles must be properly sealed. But the high volatility also means that it will easily ignite in cold weather conditions, unlike diesel for example. However, certain measures must be in place to allow appropriate venting to ensure the level of pressure is similar on the inside and outside. Gasoline also reacts dangerously with certain common chemicals; for example, gasoline and crystal Drāno react together in a spontaneous combustion. Benzene, C6H6, PhH, or benzol is a colorless and flammable liquid with a pleasant, sweet smell. ... When normal cells are damaged or old they undergo apoptosis; cancer cells, however, avoid apoptosis. ... Public health is an aspect of health services concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ... This article or section should be merged with Cathodic protection A galvanic anode, also known as a sacrificial anode, is used to protect metals from galvanic corrosion, by the use of a metal electrode which is itself consumed instead in an anodic oxidation reaction. ... Volatility is the standard deviation of the change in value of a financial instrument with a specific time horizon. ... Evaporation is the process whereby atoms or molecules in a liquid state (or solid state if the substance sublimes) gain sufficient energy to enter the gaseous state. ... Quartz crystal A crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. ... . Drāno® (also spelled Draino if the ā (A-macron) character is not available) is a drain cleaner product by S. C. Johnson & Son. ... Spontaneous combustion can mean the self-ignition, or apparent self-ignition, and burning of any mass; often of highly flammable materials, such as a pile of oily rags; see combustion. ...

Gasoline is also one of the sources of pollutant gases. Even gasoline which does not contain lead or sulfur compounds produces carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide in the exhaust of the engine which is running on it. General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish white Atomic mass 207. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... A compound is an area of land that is surrounded by fences, walls, or barbed wire and is used for a particular purpose, especially an area containing buildings and where the entry and exit of people is controlled. ... Carbon dioxide is an atmospheric gas composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... The chemical compound nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a red or orange/brown gas with a characteristic sharp, biting odor. ... Carbon monoxide, chemical formula CO, is a colourless, odourless, flammable and highly toxic gas. ... The word exhaust can mean:- A verb meaning tire out, as in After the long gallop, his horse was exhausted. ... An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ...

Energy content

Gasoline contains about 45 megajoules per kilogram (MJ/kg)
Volumetric energy density of some fuels compared to Gasoline:

A high octane fuel such as LPG has a lower energy content than lower octane gasoline, resulting in an overall lower power output. However, with an engine tuned to the use of LPG this lower power output can be overcome. The British thermal unit (BTU or Btu) is a non-metric unit of energy, used in the United States and, to a lesser extent, the UK (where it is generally only used for heating systems). ... The gallon is a unit of volume used for measuring liquids (as well as dry matter). ... Liquified petroleum gas (also called liquefied petroleum gas, liquid petroleum gas, LPG, LP gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing fluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. ... This article is about the fuel. ... Heating oil is used to fuel building furnaces. ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid that is used as an antifreeze, solvent, fuel, and as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol. ... The use of alcohol as a fuel for internal combustion engines, either alone or in combination with other fuels, has been given much attention mostly because of its possible environmental and long-term economical advantages over fossil fuel. ... A custom engine swap with a tuned VTEC engine of a Honda Civic CRX Engine tuning is the modification or design of internal combustion engines to yield more performance, either in terms of power output or economy. ...

Note that the main reason for the lower energy content of LPG is that is has a lower density. Energy content per kilogram is higher than for gasoline (higher hydrogen to carbon ratio). In lay terms, we burn mass, not volume! Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1, s Density, Hardness 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ...

Additives

Lead

The mixture known as gasoline when used in high compression internal combustion engines, has a tendency to explode early ( pre-ignition pre-detonation) causing a disturbing "knocking" (also called "pinging") noise. Early research into this effect was led by A.H. Gibson and Harry Ricardo in England and Thomas Midgley and Thomas Boyd in the United States. The discovery that lead additives modified this behaviour led to the widespread adoption of the practice in the 1920s and hence more powerful higher compression engines. The most popular additive was tetra-ethyl lead. However, with the recognition of the environmental damage caused by the lead, and the incompatibility of lead with catalytic converters, this practice began to wane in the 1980s. Most countries are phasing out leaded fuel; different additives have replaced the lead compounds. The most popular additives include aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers and alcohol (usually ethanol or methanol). The compression ratio is a single number that can be used to predict the performance of any internal-combustion engine. ... Sir Harry Ricardo (1885-1974) was one of the foremost engine designers and researchers in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine. ... Thomas Midgley, Jr. ... General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish white Atomic mass 207. ... Sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or primarily in North America as the Roaring Twenties. // Events and trends Technology John T. Thompson invents Thompson submachine gun, also known as Tommy gun John Logie Baird invents the first working television system (1925) Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly... Tetra-ethyl lead (also known as TEL, lead tetraethyl and tetraethyllead) is a toxic organometallic chemical compound, with formula (CH2CH3)4Pb, which was once used as a gasoline (petrol) additive. ... A catalytic converter in an automobiles exhaust system provides an environment for a chemical reaction where unburned hydrocarbons completely combust, using platinum and rhodium as catalysts. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... An aromatic hydrocarbon (abbreviated as AH), or arene is a hydrocarbon, the molecular structure of which incorporates one or more planar sets of six carbon atoms that are connected by delocalised electrons numbering the same as if they consisted of alternating single and double covalent bonds. ... Ether is the general name for a class of chemical compounds which contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two (substituted) alkyl groups. ... The use of alcohol as a fuel for internal combustion engines, either alone or in combination with other fuels, has been given much attention mostly because of its possible environmental and long-term economical advantages over fossil fuels. ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid that is used as an antifreeze, solvent, fuel, and as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol. ...

The greatest effect of the removal of lead was the effect on engines; a side effect of the lead additives was protection of the valve seats from erosion. Many collectors' vehicles have needed modification to use lead-free fuels.

Gasoline, as delivered at the pump, also contains additives to reduce internal engine carbon buildups, improve combustion, and to allow easier starting in cold climates. Combustion or burning is an exothermic reaction between a substance (the fuel) and a gas (the oxidizer) to release heat. ...

MMT

Methyl Cyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) has been used for many years in Canada and recently in Australia to boost octane. It also helps old cars designed for leaded fuel run on unleaded fuel without need for additives to prevent valve stem problems. Methyl Cyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) is a fuel additive that can increase fuel octane levels. ... poppet valve A poppet valve is the type of valve system used in most piston engines, used to seal the intake and exhaust ports. ...

Oxygenate blending

Oxygenate blending adds oxygen to the fuel in oxygen-bearing compounds such as MTBE, ethanol and ETBE, and so reduces the amount of carbon monoxide and unburned fuel in the exhaust gas, thus reducing smog. In many areas throughout the US oxygenate blending is mandatory. For example, in Southern California, fuel must contain 2% oxygen by weight. The resulting fuel is often known as reformulated gasoline (RFG) or oxygenated gasoline. General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... MTBE is highly flammable and is widely used as an oxygenate. ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ...

MTBE use is being phased out due to issues with contamination of ground water. In some places it is already banned. Ethanol and to a lesser extent the ethanol derived ETBE are a common replacements. Especially ethanol derived from biomatter such as corn, sugar cane or grain is frequent, this will often be referred to as bio-ethanol. An ethanol-gasoline mix is called gasohol. The most extensive use of ethanol takes place in Brazil, where the ethanol is derived from sugarcane. The use of bioethanol, either directly or indirectly by conversion of such ethanol to bio-ETBE, is encouraged by the European Union Biofuels Directive. The use of alcohol as a fuel for internal combustion engines, either alone or in combination with other fuels, has been given much attention mostly because of its possible environmental and long-term economical advantages over fossil fuel. ... Species -wild -wild -cultivated -cultivated -cultivated -cultivated Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ...

History

Long-term U.S. gasoline prices, 1990-2005 (adjusted for inflation using the U.S. CPI).

Recent U.S. gasoline prices, 2003-2005 (not adjusted for inflation).

Download high resolution version (1024x768, 25 KB)Long-term chart showing average gasoline prices in the United States. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 25 KB)Long-term chart showing average gasoline prices in the United States. ... In economics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI, also retail price index) is a statistical measure of a weighted average of prices of a specified set of goods and services purchased by wage earners in urban areas. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 22 KB)Short-term (two-year) chart showing average gasoline prices in the United States. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 22 KB)Short-term (two-year) chart showing average gasoline prices in the United States. ...

As a medicine

Before internal combustion engines were invented, gasoline was sold in small bottles as a treatment against lice and their eggs. In those early times, the word "Petrol" was a trade name. This treatment method is no longer common, due to the inherent fire hazard and risk of dermatitis. A colorized automobile engine An internal combustion engine is an engine that is powered by the expansion of hot combustion products of fuel directly acting within an engine. ... Suborders Anoplura (sucking lice) Rhyncophthirina Ischnocera (avian lice) Amblycera (chewing lice) Lice (singular: louse) (order Phthiraptera) are an order of over 3000 species of wingless parasitic insects. ... A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the legal name of a business, or the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes. ... // Typical, mild dermatitis Dermatitis, also known as eczema, is a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters. ...

World War II and octane

One interesting historical issue involving octane rating took place during WWII. Germany received nearly all its oil from Romania, and set up huge distilling plants in Germany to produce gasoline from coal. In the US the oil was not "as good" and the oil industry instead had to invest heavily in various expensive boosting systems. This turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise. US industry was soon delivering fuels of ever-increasing octane ratings by adding more of the boosting agents, with cost no longer a factor during wartime. By war's end American aviation fuel was commonly 130 to 150 octane, which could easily be put to use in existing engines to deliver much more power by increasing the compression delivered by the superchargers. The Germans, relying entirely on "good" gasoline, had no such industry, and instead had to rely on ever-larger engines to deliver more power. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air, August 9, 1945. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: United States Wikinews has news related to this article: United States United States government Official website of the United States government - Gateway to governmental sites White House - Official site of the US President Senate. ... A supercharger (also known as a blower, a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump) is a gas compressor used to pump air into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. ...

However, someone pointed out that: German aviation engines were of the direct fuel injection type and could use emergency methanol-water and nitrous-oxide injection, which gave 50% more engine power for 5 minutes of dogfight. This could be done only five times and then the aero engine went to the scrapyard (or after 40 hours run-time, whichever came first). Most German aero engines used 87 octane fuel (called B4), some high-powered engines used 100 octane (C2/C3)fuel.

Another pointed out in reply that: This historical "issue" is based on a very common misapprehension about wartime fuel octane numbers. There are two octane numbers for each fuel, one for lean mix and one for rich mix, rich being always greater. So, for example, a common British aviation fuel of the later part of the war was 100/125. The misapprehension that German fuels have a lower octane number (and thus a poorer quality) arises because the Germans quoted the lean mix octane number for their fuels while the Allies quoted the rich mix number for their fuels. Standard German high-grade aviation fuel used in the later part of the war (given the designation C3) had lean/rich octane numbers of 100/130. The Germans would list this as a 100 octane fuel while the Allies would list it as 130 octane.

After the war the US Navy sent a Technical Mission to Germany to interview German petrochemists and examine German fuel quality, their report entitled "Technical Report 145-45 Manufacture of Aviation Gasoline in Germany" chemically analysed the different fuels and concluded "Toward the end of the war the quality of fuel being used by the German fighter planes was quite similar to that being used by the Allies".

See also

• diesel
• ethanol
• filling station
• fuel tax
• list of automotive fuel brands
• Oil refinery

Diesel fuel is a specific distillate fraction of fuel oil that is used in a diesel engine invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel, and perfected by Charles F. Kettering. ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Modern filling station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and liquified petroleum gas (LPG). ... General Information A fuel tax (also known as a petrol tax, gasoline tax, gas tax or fuel duty) is a sales tax imposed on the sale of fuel. ... This is a list of automotive fuel (petrol or gasoline, diesel, etc. ... View of the Shell/Valero Martinez oil refinery An oil refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into useful petroleum products. ...

External links

Information

• Gasoline FAQ
• High Octane Gasoline - Fact Sheet
• Gasoline MSDS (material safety data sheet) includes composition, flash point, handling precautions, etc.
• FTC: The Low-Down on High Octane Gasoline
• An introduction to the modern petroleum science, and to the Russian-Ukrainian theory of deep, abiotic petroleum origins.
• What's the difference between premium and regular gas? (from The Straight Dope)

Data The flashpoint of a fuel is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mix with air. ... Cecil Adams is the pen name of the author of The Straight Dope since 1973, a popular question and answer column published in The Chicago Reader, syndicated in thirty newspapers in the United States and Canada, and available online. ...

• EIA - Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update

Other

• Dismissal of the Claims of a Biological Connection for Natural Petroleum.
• All About Engine Knock (and Other Mysteries of Internal Combustion) Good paper on why knocks happen...
• Durability of various plastics: Alcohols vs. Gasoline What plastics store gasoline the best.

Images

Wikimedia Commons has more media related to:

Gasoline

• Gasoline Images - Vintage American gas station and fuel dispenser stock photography, link courtesy of http://www.coolstock.com
• "Down the Gasoline Trail" Handy Jam Organization, 1935 (Cartoon)