Gasoline additive

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Gasoline additives increase gasoline's octane rating or act as corrosion inhibitors or lubricators, thus allowing the use of higher compression ratios for greater efficiency and power, however some carry heavy environmental risks. Types of additives include metal deactivators, corrosion inhibitors, oxygenates and antioxidants.

[edit] Additives

• Hybrid compound blends
  • Combustion catalyst (organo-metallic compound which lowers the ignition point of fuel in the combustion chamber reducing the temperature burn from 1200 degrees to 800 degree F)
  • Burn rate modifier (increases the fuel burn time result in an approx. 30% increase of the available BTUs from the fuel)
  • Polymerization (increases fuel ignition surface area resulting in increased horsepower from ignition)
  • Stabilizer/Demulsifier (prolongs life of fuel and prevents water vapor contamination)
  • Corrosion inhibitor (prevents tank corrosion)
  • Detergent agent (clean both gasoline and diesel engines with reduced pollution emissions)
  • Catalyst additive (prolongs engine life and increases fuel economy)
  • Detergent (cleans engine)
• Oxygenates
  • Alcohols:
    • Methanol (MeOH)
    • Ethanol (EtOH)
    • Isopropyl alcohol (IPA)
    • n-butanol (BuOH)
    • Gasoline grade t-butanol (GTBA)
  • Ethers:
    • Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) Now outlawed in many states for road use.
    • Tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME)
    • Tertiary hexyl methyl ether (THEME)
    • Ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE)
    • Tertiary amyl ethyl ether (TAEE)
    • Diisopropyl ether (DIPE)

• Antioxidants, stabilizers
  • Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
  • 2,4-Dimethyl-6-tert-butylphenol
  • 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol (2,6-DTBP)
  • Phenylene diamine
  • Ethylene diamine

• Antiknock agents
  • Tetra-ethyl lead
  • Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT)
  • Ferrocene
  • Iron pentacarbonyl
  • Toluene
  • Isooctane

• Lead scavengers (for leaded gasoline)
  • Tricresyl phosphate (TCP) (also an AW additive and EP additive)
  • 1,2-Dibromoethane
  • 1,2-Dichloroethane

• Fuel dyes, most common:
  • Solvent Red 24
  • Solvent Red 26
  • Solvent Yellow 124
  • Solvent Blue 35

• Others
  • Nitromethane (increases engine power, "nitro")
  • Acetone (vaporization additive, mainly used with methanol racing fuel to improve vaporisation at start up)
  • Butyl rubber (as polyisobutylene succinimide, detergent to prevent fouling of diesel fuel injectors)
  • Ferox (catalyst additive that increases fuel economy, cleans engine, lowers emission of pollutants, prolongs engine life)
  • Ferrous picrate (improves combustion, increases mileage)
  • Silicones (anti-foaming agents for diesel, damage oxygen sensors in gasoline engines)

[edit] External links

• Fuel Management Systems, Inc. - Manufacturer of Gasoline and Diesel Additives.

[edit] See also

• For additive metering see metering pumps