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The U. S. Treasury Department recently ruled that the ethanol blenders tax credit applies to ethanol used to make ETBE for blending with gasoline. As a result, ETBE may soon become a popular gasoline blending component. Like MTBE, ETBE adds oxygen to the fuel while contributing to other performance properties of the gasoline. Phillips Petroleum Company has completed limited driveability and material compatibility studies on gasolines containing ETBE and has determined the effect on various performance parameters such as octane, volatility, and distillation of ETBE in gasoline. Levels of ETBE ranging from 0.0 to 23.5 volume percent (3.7 weight percent oxygen) in gasoline were included in the investigation. Use in gasoline is currently limited to only 12.7 volume percent (2.0 weight percent oxygen) by the gasoline substantially similar rule. No detrimental effects of the ETBE on metal or elastomeric parts common to gasoline delivery and fueling system were found.

As a means of reducing evaporative emissions from gasoline sources, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other legislative and regulatory bodies have required reductions in gasoline volatility. Further reductions are being proposed. This paper reports the results of an investigation into the resulting flammability potential of low volatility gasolines contained in automobile tanks when low ambient temperatures are experienced. The hydrocarbon composition and the flammability tendency of the vapor in fuel tanks of passenger cars were determined via a matrix of 45 different gasoline volatility, temperature, and tank level combinations. A flammability device was developed and used to ignite vapors drawn from the tanks of in-use vehicles at the test conditions. The Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) of the test gasolines ranged from 6.5 to 9.4 psi in the near-full tank level and 6.4 to 7.8 psi at a low tank level.

Effective January 1, 1986, regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limited the amount of alkyl lead antiknock additives that could be used in “leaded gasoline” to 0.1 gram per gallon. This has led to considerable concern about the potential for serious wear problems in older engines that were designed to run on leaded fuel. Phillips has completed a study to address this concern and identify limits of potential impact. This paper reports the results of this work. The subject test program was completed on a late model 302 Ford V8 engine modified to be equivalent to engines built prior to 1971 (primary engines of concern). The reported results show that fuel containing as little as 0.05 gram per gallon lead is sufficient to protect engines operated at low to moderate speeds against excessive wear.