Changes in evaporation rate and vapor pressure of gasoline with progress of evaporation

Abstract

The evaporation properties of motor gasoline are expected to change markedly with the progress of evaporation because gasoline is a multi-component fuel. The aim of this paper was to develop a prediction model of the amount of vapor generated from gasoline spill. The risks associated with gasoline spills can be accurately evaluated by the models. Degraded samples of regular gasoline and high-octane gasoline were prepared by leaving them under conditions of no wind at 20 °C, and their vapor pressures and flash points were measured. The evaporation rate was measured by determining weight loss using an electronic balance, and the relation between the weight loss fraction and the evaporation rate was investigated. “Weight loss fraction” was used as a parameter signifying the progress of evaporation and expressed the changes in vapor pressure and evaporation rate as a function of the weight loss fraction. The vapor pressure and the evaporation rate could be shown by exponential functions of the weight loss fraction, and a prediction model of the amount of gasoline vapor was obtained. Furthermore, the prediction model of the flash point of degraded gasoline was derived from the relational expression of temperature and vapor pressure, and the predicted flash points were compared with the measured values.