Comparative Analysis of Selected Octane Enhancing Fuel Additives as Substitute to Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT)

摘要

The goal of this research was to identify a more efficient and environmentally friendlier octane-enhancing fuel additive as a substitute to Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT). The current amount (18 mg/L) of MMT required to ensure that the final gasoline product meets acceptable octane rating poses health threats on combustion of the fuel. Different blends of selected aromatic octane-enhancing fuel additives (aniline, 2,4-dimethylaniline and N-methylaniline) with base gasoline were prepared. The prepared blends were subjected to Ghana Standards (GS)/American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test methods that required the determination of Reid vapor pressure (RVP), distillation, aromatic content, benzene content, copper corrosion, washed gum content, oxidation stability, density and octane number using the Cooperative Fuel Research engine. The response values of the octane-enhancing fuel additives used were then compared with Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl. Results from the tests showed that N-methylaniline produced the highest octane numbers of 90, 93.4, 96 compared with 89.5, 92.7, 95.3 for 2,4-dimethylaniline and 88.5, 91, 93.5 for aniline when 1%, 2%, and 3% volumes respectively of each booster were added to the base fuel, with all other parameters meeting the required standard. For the same base fuel, the octane rating for the final gasoline product when 18 mg/L MMT was added was 86.6, which is much lower than what N-methylaniline as gasoline additive produced.