Energy Sources Part A-recovery Utilization and Environmental Effects, Vol.31, No.18, 1634-1645, 2009
Low-Temperature Miscibility of Ethanol-Gasoline-Water Blends in Flex Fuel Applications
The miscibility of blends of gasoline and hydrous ethanol was investigated experimentally at - 25 degrees C and - 2 degrees C. Furthermore, the maximum water content was found for ethanol in flex fuel blends. The results strongly indicate that blends containing ethanol with a water content above that of the ethanol/water azeotrope (4.4% water by mass) can be used as Flex Fuel blends together with gasoline at ambient temperatures of 25 degrees C and 2 degrees C, without phase separation occurring. Additionally, it was shown that the ethanol purity requirement of ethanol-rich flex fuel blends falls with increasing ethanol content in the gasoline-rich flex fuel blend.
Keywords:bioethanol;biofuel;ethanol;flex fuel;flex fuel vehicle;gasohol;gasoline;hydrous ethanol;miscibility;phase separation;ternary phase diagram