Interagency assessment of oxygenated fuels

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:569887

Oxygenates have been used as octane enhancers in gasoline since the late 1970s, due to the phaseout of lead. During the 1980s, oxygenates came in to wider use as some States implemented oxygenated gasoline programs for the control of carbon monoxide (CO) pollution in cold weather. People with coronary artery disease are particularly sensitive to the adverse effects of this air pollutant. The first winter oxygenated gasoline program in the United States was implemented in Denver, Colorado in 1988. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments required the use of oxygenated gasoline in several areas of the country that failed to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for CO. During the winter months of 1992-1993, many new oxygenated gasoline programs were implemented to increase combustion efficiency in cold weather and thereby reduce CO emissions. Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) has become the most widely used motor vehicle oxygenate in the U.S., though in some areas, ethanol is the dominant oxygenate used in motor vehicle fuels. Other fuel oxygenates that are in use or may potentially be used include ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), tertiary-amyl methyl ether (TAME), diisopropyl ether (DIPE), tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA), and methanol. Because of limitations in available data, there is less emphasis in this report on these other oxygenates. The Clean Air Act requires at least 2.7% by weight oxygen content for gasoline sold in CO nonattainment areas, and about 15% by volume MTBE or about 7.5% by volume ethanol to achieve this requirement. The purpose of this report is to provide a review of the scientific literature on oxygenated fuels and to assess effects of the winter oxygenated fuels program on air quality, water quality, fuel economy and engine performance, and public health.

• OSTI ID: 569887
• Report Number(s): CONF-971116--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
AIR QUALITY
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CLEAN AIR ACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EXHAUST GASES
METHYL ETHER
PUBLIC HEALTH
WATER QUALITY