A team of researchers at Ford Motor Company suggests to use ethanol blends with higher volume to tap the high octane rating of the alcohol in the production of ethanol and gasoline blends which might have societal benefits.

At present, ethanol is used with gasoline to produce a formulated blend which has the same octane rating unchanged from its historical levels. Experts point out though that the high octane rating of the alcohol can be used to produce a mid-level gasoline-ethanol blend and come up with a better octane rating for regular gasoline.

There are performance issues when it comes to the used of ethanol or methanol in produce gasoline blends. Some of these issues include poorer energy density, potential lower or higher vapor pressures, changed distillation properties, and phase separation induced by water. Ethanol or methanol though has a high RON or research octane number and MON or motor octane number when compared to regular gasoline.

The octane number gives consumers an idea which fuel has the better ability to resist what is known as knock due to premature ignition. This knock may lead to engine damage when severe enough.

A higher RON means it has better thermal efficiency for future engines thru better R or compression ratio and better result of downsizing and turbocharging. The current engines may benefit with better spark timing in different driving conditions. If the blendstock RON will go up to 92 from 88, the E10 RON will jump to 95.6 from 92.5 and will give better RON with additional content of ethanol like a RON of 97.1 for the E15 blend and 100.6 for the E30 blend.

Another technology will be launched soon to provide a highly fuel efficient gas engine. This will be good for both the automotives with light-duty and engine markets that are of medium-duty. The technology called HEDGE (High-Efficiency, Dilute Gasoline Engine) II will be launched by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to expand their efforts from the previous one.

With all the ‘go green’ campaign we hear today, this technological progress sounds like a good point to the advocacy. It will eventually benefit all of us through its less-polluting emissions and more economical in terms of fuel requirements.

In the latest test, it showed that the exhaust gas recirculation levels mounted to up to 50%. These are key factors as they develop a knock mitigation strategy that’s more aggressive.

Another element that they’re going to look into is the probably advanced turbocharging system. It will encompass even the testing of the effects of biofuels and hydrogen. This is the additional work that will be done in the coming days to the former HEDGE consortium now on its second phase.

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