ROAD ANTIKNOCK PERFORMANCE AND THE BOILING RANGE OF HYDROCARBON TYPES

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ROAD ANTIKNOCK PERFORMANCE AND THE BOILING RANGE OF HYDROCARBON TYPES

BUERSTETTA, F. D. / WALTERS, H. C. / McREYNOLDS, L. A. / ROHDE, RAYMOND / HEALY, W. C.

Two gasolines may have the same Research octane number, the same Motor octane number, and the same over-all hydrocarbon composition yet differ significantly in road antiknock performance. This paper concludes that such variation can be related to the placement of hydrocarbon types in the boiling range of the gasolines. Specifically, studies show that the low-boiling olefins provided better road performance than did the high-boiling olefins. Also, low-boiling aromatics gave better road ratings than the high-boiling aromatics. The magnitude of these effects varied with vehicle engine speed.For this study, twenty fuels of nominal 100 Research octane number were designed on a statistical basis. Realistic gasoline components were used. Comprehensive laboratory inspections of the fuels and fractions included more than 700 laboratory antiknock ratings, 400 hydrocarbon type analyses, and complete volatility data.Road-performance characteristics were appraised in three recent-production automobiles and three cars having experimental engines of 11-to-1 compression ratio. More than 1000 road ratings were made. Statistical correlations of these data provide a basis for the conclusions reported herein.