Engine test of alcohol as aviation fuel
The feasibility of using ethyl alcohol as an aviation fuel is considered. Tests were made in a single-cylinder air-cooled engine at incremental manifold boost pressures of 100 mm Hg, from -100 mm to /sup +/600 mm pressure. At each increment, air-to-fuel ratios were varied and corresponding horsepower (HP) measurements were taken. From these tests, ethyl alcohol proved to have very high anti-knock properties. If rich enough, ethanol would not predetonate even at 600 mm of positive manifold pressure. One of the disadvantages was in the alcohol's low volatility, which would mean poor distribution to every cylinder in a multi-cylinder engine and thus increase detonation. Autoignition was found to be another weak point in the use of ethanol as an aviation fuel. The second part of the report considered the blendng of alcohol with ethyl ether, acetone, and gasoline for use as an aviation fuel. Ethyl ether proved to have too much of a knocking tendency. Gasoline, with a high heat of combustion, gave a blended fuel with decreased consumption. A blend of acetone with ethanol gave the best result with good volatility and anti-knock properties. The more acetone added the better the resulting fuel. The addition of 5 mg sodium arsenite per 100cc of alcohol prevented the corrosion associated with alcohol fuels on steel and aluminum alloy engines. The high heat of vaporization for alcohol caused a cooling effect which improved its anti-knock property, but caused problems in starting, acceleration, and cylinder distribution. 1 table, 1 graph.
- OSTI ID:
- 6115081
- Report Number(s):
- TOM-231-689-697
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACETONE
MIXING
AVIATION FUELS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
TESTING
ENGINES
EFFICIENCY
ETHANOL
ANTIKNOCK RATINGS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
COMBUSTION HEAT
VAPOR PRESSURE
VAPORIZATION HEAT
ETHYL ETHER
GASOLINE
SOLUBILITY
ALCOHOLS
CORROSION
DATA COMPILATION
DIAGRAMS
DYNAMOMETERS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
SPARK IGNITION ENGINES
SUPERCHARGERS
TABLES
VAPOR CONDENSATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPRESSORS
DATA
DATA FORMS
ENERGY
ENTHALPY
ETHERS
FUELS
HEAT
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
KETONES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTION HEAT
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION HEAT
090210* - Alcohol Fuels- Properties- (1976-1989)