skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Utilization of Renewable Oxygenates as Gasoline Blending Components

Abstract

This report reviews the use of higher alcohols and several cellulose-derived oxygenates as blend components in gasoline. Material compatibility issues are expected to be less severe for neat higher alcohols than for fuel-grade ethanol. Very little data exist on how blending higher alcohols or other oxygenates with gasoline affects ASTM Standard D4814 properties. Under the Clean Air Act, fuelsused in the United States must be 'substantially similar' to fuels used in certification of cars for emission compliance. Waivers for the addition of higher alcohols at concentrations up to 3.7 wt% oxygen have been granted. Limited emission testing on pre-Tier 1 vehicles and research engines suggests that higher alcohols will reduce emissions of CO and organics, while NOx emissions will stay thesame or increase. Most oxygenates can be used as octane improvers for standard gasoline stocks. The properties of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, dimethylfuran, 2-methylfuran, methyl pentanoate and ethyl pentanoate suggest that they may function well as low-concentration blends with gasoline in standard vehicles and in higher concentrations in flex fuel vehicles.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V)
OSTI Identifier:
1024518
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-5400-50791
TRN: US201120%%43
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ALCOHOLS; AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT; AUTOMOTIVE FUELS; BIOFUELS; CLEAN AIR ACTS; CARBON DIOXIDE; COMPATIBILITY; COMPLIANCE; EMISSION; ENGINES; ETHANOL; ETHANOL FUELS; FUEL ADDITIVES; GASOLINE; MIXTURES; NITROGEN OXIDES; OCTANE; OXYGEN; gasoline blends; additives; oxygenates; renewables

Citation Formats

Yanowitz, J, Christensen, E, and McCormick, R L. Utilization of Renewable Oxygenates as Gasoline Blending Components. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.2172/1024518.
Yanowitz, J, Christensen, E, & McCormick, R L. Utilization of Renewable Oxygenates as Gasoline Blending Components. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1024518
Yanowitz, J, Christensen, E, and McCormick, R L. 2011. "Utilization of Renewable Oxygenates as Gasoline Blending Components". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1024518. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1024518.
@article{osti_1024518,
title = {Utilization of Renewable Oxygenates as Gasoline Blending Components},
author = {Yanowitz, J and Christensen, E and McCormick, R L},
abstractNote = {This report reviews the use of higher alcohols and several cellulose-derived oxygenates as blend components in gasoline. Material compatibility issues are expected to be less severe for neat higher alcohols than for fuel-grade ethanol. Very little data exist on how blending higher alcohols or other oxygenates with gasoline affects ASTM Standard D4814 properties. Under the Clean Air Act, fuelsused in the United States must be 'substantially similar' to fuels used in certification of cars for emission compliance. Waivers for the addition of higher alcohols at concentrations up to 3.7 wt% oxygen have been granted. Limited emission testing on pre-Tier 1 vehicles and research engines suggests that higher alcohols will reduce emissions of CO and organics, while NOx emissions will stay thesame or increase. Most oxygenates can be used as octane improvers for standard gasoline stocks. The properties of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, dimethylfuran, 2-methylfuran, methyl pentanoate and ethyl pentanoate suggest that they may function well as low-concentration blends with gasoline in standard vehicles and in higher concentrations in flex fuel vehicles.},
doi = {10.2172/1024518},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1024518}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}