Agreed. To put some rough numbers to it ethanol has approximately 60% of the
energy content of gasoline (petrol if you prefer). Methanol is even worse at
around 55%. To produce equivalent work you need to burn approximately 4% more
10% ethanol fuel. The reason alcohol is used in racing engines is (as noted
below) that its higher octane rating allows huge increases in compression
ratio. To achieve power gains on alcohol requires a massive increase in the
amount of fuel used. A single run for an alcohol powered dragster may use 5
gallons of fuel or more. Other advantages to alcohol burning are that mixing
the larger concentrations of alcohol provides a cooling effect that improves
volumetric efficiency and that alcohol contains some oxygen that promotes
better burning.
________________________________
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Bob Spidell
<bspidell at comcast.net>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2017 2:20:02 PM
To: Richard J. Hockert
Cc: healeys
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Ethanol
Ethanol has a much lower energy content than gasoline, hence the lower mileage
with gasahol. See here:
<http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fuel_comparison_chart.pdf>http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fuel_comparison_chart.pdf
('alternate fuels,' not 'alternate facts')
It does, however, have a higher octane rating allowing the huge compression
ratios in dragsters and other racers; which is what produces the massive power
in those engines.
Bob
________________________________
From: "Richard J. Hockert" <rjhco at att.net>
To: "David Nock BCS" <healeydoc at sbcglobal.net>, "Simon Lachlan"
<simon.lachlan at homecall.co.uk>, "Healey List" <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2017 1:36:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Ethanol
The correct AFR for alcohol (ethanol) is around 8 to 1 versus gasoline at 14.7
to 1. Switching to 10% ethanol should equate to about a 5% richer mixture.
Ethanol produces more power than gasoline - hence alcohol race engines but much
more fuel required. Your mileage will suffer.
Best regards,
Jim
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