Q: What’s the reason to add ethanol to gasoline?

A: Higher octane in ethanol helps for higher gasoline octane. As an oxygen-containing compound, its addition to gasoline improves combustion and reduces the emission of monoxide and hydrocarbon. Moreover, ethanol can be made from grain and is a renewable energy.

Q: Is auto refitting necessary as to the use of ethanol gasoline?
A: Test results show that the cars fuelled with the ethanol gasoline with 10.0% (v/v) of denatured fuel ethanol don’t need special modifications. The provincial traffic management department will specify the second qualified vehicle repair stations to be responsible for cleaning oil lines of the vehicles using ethanol gasoline, parts replacement, and quality inspection and maintenance.

Q: Does the use of ethanol gasoline cause damage to the metal parts of the vehicle fuel system?
A: Corrosion tests indicate that the use of ethanol gasoline causes no obvious corrosion to the automobile carburetor bottom case and the most appearance of metal parts of oil system, and isn’t subject to the normal temperature changes.

Q: Whether it will damage the rubber parts of the automotive fuel system?
A: Tests prove that the use of ethanol gasoline doesn't produce particular problems on the automotive fuel system but brings in inadequacy to some rubber parts.

Q: How to ensure the quality of denatured fuel ethanol and ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles?
A: There are mandatory product standards on both kinds of ethanol, that is, the national standards GBl8350 2001 denatured fuel ethanol and CB18351-2001 ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles. The compliance to the standard requirements and appropriate blending methods ensure access to quality products.

Q: Does ethanol gasoline for motor vehicle lead to the blockage of the automotive fuel system?
A: With stronger solubility than ordinary gasoline, it has a strong cleaning property to the oil system and a good effect on cleaning and keeping smooth the oil line. Thorough cleaning of fuel line and tank is a must for the first time use of ethanol gasoline for motor vehicle. Otherwise, during the initial period, the impurities in the fuel tank and line will be cleaned and result in fuel impurities into the oil line and into blockage.

Q: Does ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles increase the sediments in engine?
A: Detergent additives are added to it, the same as to unleaded gasoline, to prevent the impurity sediments of engine carburetor, nozzle and intake valve. Because of more complete burning, ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles better reduces the deposition of engine impurities.

Q: Does its use produce air resistance?
A: The addition of fuel ethanol to gasoline causes the increase of vapor pressure, but there are strict controls according to the standard GBl7930 unleaded gasoline for motor vehicles. Therefore, ethanol gasoline generally doesn’t produce vapor lock.

Q: Can it be mixed with unleaded gasoline?
A: Ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles can be mixed with unleaded gasoline of the same grade. The gasoline from China Petroleum and other from a well-reputed company with quality assurance shall be chosen. The water-containing or counterfeit unleaded gasoline shall be avoided so as to maintain the normal operation of the vehicle. Similarly, the qualified unleaded gasoline can be mixed with ethanol gasoline of the same grade from the designated gas stations.

Q: Does the fuel tank need to be cleaned for the first fuelling?
A: Check whether the fuel tank contains water impurity. It’s best to clean the oil tank. If there isn’t, it's Ok for fueling.

Q: By what is it divided? How many grades?
A: The grades of ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles are divided by octane value. There are three grades: No.90, No. 93 and No.95, the same as the grades of GBl7930-1999 unleaded gasoline.

Q: Why there are stringent requirements on moisture content in the standards of ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles and denatured fuel ethanol?
A: According to the applications abroad and domestic trials, the contact of ethanol gasoline to water (including the water retained, rain, snow, etc.) will separate ethanol and water from ethanol gasoline, lead to layering, and abnormal burning of ethanol gasoline, and thus the vehicle can not start.

Q: What are the differences on the performance of and that of unleaded gasoline?
A: There are no differences on the performance of these two in line with national standards. With oxygen, ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles helps the reduction of the emission of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in automobile exhaust. Despite a slight increase in NOx emission, there is less total emission of harmful substances in the vehicle exhaust. Test results show that the car with ethanol gasoline consumes the same or slightly more fuel than the car using unleaded gasoline.

Q: Does ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles cause metal corrosion?
A: Series of corrosion tests of ethanol gasoline to brass, copper, cast iron, 45# steel, zinc and aluminum and other metals find that there are no significant corrosion in a relatively short period of time (a month). The corrosion generated is mostly caused by acetic acid in ethanol. Acetic acid content is strictly formulated in the national standard GBl8350-2001 denatured fuel ethanol. To ensure no corrosion to auto parts, an appropriate amount of corrosion inhibitor shall be added to ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles (usually to denatured fuel ethanol) to effectively inhibit the corrosion to brass and copper and improve the corrosion resistance to other metals.

Q: What are its requirements to rubber adaptability?
A: Because of the better oil resistance and anti-ethanol gasoline swelling, chloroprene rubber, butadiene rubber, butylbenzene, butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, and silicon rubber are applicable to the vehicles fueled with ethanol gasoline. Due to the worse oil resistance and anti-ethanol gasoline swelling, hydrogenated butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, chlorinated polyether and butyl rubber are inapplicable to the vehicles fueled with ethanol gasoline.

Q: What effect does ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles cause on emission?
A: It can reduce the emission of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, of which, to nearly 30% of CO. In spite of slight increase of NOx emission, the total emission of automobile exhaust is lessened.

Q: What is its impact to vehicle operation?
A: Compared with unleaded gasoline, it causes the same impact to vehicle start and acceleration, but has a slight decrease in vehicle power.

Q: Is the density of ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles larger or smaller than that of unleaded gasoline?
A: Detections show that it's greater. The volume of 1 ton of E10 ethanol gasoline 90 # at room temperature is 20L smaller than 1 ton of unleaded gasoline of the same grade.

Q: Where is ethanol gasoline for motor vehicles blended and produced?
A: It’s normally blended and produced in the petroleum oil depot or deployment center.