Abstract

CASTILLO-HERNANDEZ, P.; MENDOZA-DOMINGUEZ, A.  and  CABALLERO-MATA, P.. Analysis of Physicochemical Properties of Mexican Gasoline and Diesel Reformulated with Ethanol. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2012, vol.13, n.3, pp.293-306. ISSN 2594-0732.

High energy prices, environmental issues and increasing importation of fossil fuels has provoked, in some countries, a reorientation of resources towards the development of biofuels that can partially substitute the consumption of fossil fuels. Ethanol is one of the biofuels more commonly used in the world; in the United States, Brazil and Australia gasoline blends that reach up to 85% Ethanol are commercialized. This work presents the results of a physicochemical characterization of commercial Mexican gasoline (Magna and Premium) and diesel blends with 10% vol. and 15% vol. anhydrous Ethanol. The analytical testing included: Research Octane Number, Motor Octane Number, Cetane Number, Reid Vapor Pressure, Distillation Curve and Heating Value. The stability of the blends was also evaluated. The theoretical emissions of CO₂ were calculated based on the results of the physicochemical characterization. The ethanol-gasoline blends increased their Octane Number with respect to the commercial gasoline, while conserving an appropriate Distillation Index. The Cetane Number of the ethanol-diesel blends showed a substantial decrease, while the heating value of gasoline and diesel blends was negatively affected by the addition of ethanol. Nevertheless, taking into account the credits by the use of a renewable fuel, the use of the reformulated gasoline blends would imply a maximum theoretical reduction of 7.5% in CO₂ emissions whereas in the case of ethanol-diesel blends it would represent a 9.2% decrease.

Keywords : bioethanol; biofuels; mobile sources; reformulated fuels; green-house gases.

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