Effects of different additives on physicochemical properties of gasoline and vehicle performance

Abstract

Using fuel additives to improve fuel quality is considered to be a simple and cost-effective measure to energy saving and emission reduction. In this work, eleven additives including Iso-butanol, Ethyl tert-butyl ether, Iso-propyl ether, Aniline, Diethylamine, Dimethyl carbonate, Sec-butyl acetate, Iso-butyl acetate, Dimethyl malonate, P-methyl phenol, and P-tert-butyl phenol were chosen to study the effects of additives on physicochemical properties of China commercially 92# and 95# gasoline and vehicle performance using New European driving cycle. Results show that low octane gasoline is more significantly affected by additives. Alcohol, ether, amine, and ester additives mainly affect 50% evaporating temperature of gasoline, while phenolic additives mainly affect 90% evaporating temperature and increase Drivability Index. Ethyl tert-butyl ether improves research octane value greatly with little change in reid vapor pressure. All additives can improve the fuel economy and reduce CO emissions of 92# gasoline but have no significant effect on 95# gasoline. Most additives reduce THC emissions of 92# gasoline but increase THC emissions of 95# gasoline. All additives increase NOx emissions of 92 # gasoline, but Iso-butanol, Iso-butyl acetate, and P-methyl phenol reduce NOx emissions of 95 # gasoline. In addition, all additives improve the acceleration performance both 92# and 95# gasoline.