Methanol vs Ethanol vs Propanol Injection
#1
Methanol vs Ethanol vs Propanol Injection
Hi All,
I just installed an alchohol-water injection system, and I have been doing some research online. I have seen a few people recommend "Heet", as a substitute for methanol in a pinch.
In my research, I found methanol, ethanol and propanol online. Propanol is much less expensive to buy than the other two and, I believe, is the main ingredient in Heet. It has the property of binding to water and is used as a fuel system "dryer".
My question is: Is there a reason why methanol is the alchohol of choise in water-alchohol injection systems? I know that methanol is the most simple and basic of the alchohols... Maybe less byproducts in combustion? If so, then why does propanol work? What about ethanol?
-George
2006 NC, Begi S3 Turbo at 10psi, 300+ rwhp.
I just installed an alchohol-water injection system, and I have been doing some research online. I have seen a few people recommend "Heet", as a substitute for methanol in a pinch.
In my research, I found methanol, ethanol and propanol online. Propanol is much less expensive to buy than the other two and, I believe, is the main ingredient in Heet. It has the property of binding to water and is used as a fuel system "dryer".
My question is: Is there a reason why methanol is the alchohol of choise in water-alchohol injection systems? I know that methanol is the most simple and basic of the alchohols... Maybe less byproducts in combustion? If so, then why does propanol work? What about ethanol?
-George
2006 NC, Begi S3 Turbo at 10psi, 300+ rwhp.
#5
From Wiki:
The MON of n-heptane and iso-octane are exactly 0 and 100, by definition. The following table lists octane ratings for various other fuels.[4][5][10]
Fuel RON MON AKI
hexadecane < -30
n-octane -10
n-heptane (MON 0 by definition) 0
diesel fuel 15–25
2-methylheptane 23
n-hexane 25
2-methylhexane 44
1-heptene 60
n-pentane 62
requirement for a typical two-stroke outboard engine[6] 69 65 67
1-pentene 84
n-butanol 87
n-butane 91
"regular" gasoline in US and Canada 91–92 82–83 87
"EuroSuper" or "EuroPremium" 95 85–86 90–91
cyclohexane 97
"premium" gasoline in US and Canada 97-98 88–89 93
"SuperPlus" in Germany and Great Britain 98 89–90 93–94
iso-octane (MON 100 by definition) 100
benzene 101
"BP Ultimate 102"[7] 102 93–94 97–98
t-butanol 103 91 97
ethane 108
propane 110
toluene 111 95 103
E85 gasoline 105
xylene 117
isopropanol 118 98 108
ethanol 129 102 116
methanol 133 105 119
methane 135 122 129
hydrogen* > 130 very low[8]
The MON of n-heptane and iso-octane are exactly 0 and 100, by definition. The following table lists octane ratings for various other fuels.[4][5][10]
Fuel RON MON AKI
hexadecane < -30
n-octane -10
n-heptane (MON 0 by definition) 0
diesel fuel 15–25
2-methylheptane 23
n-hexane 25
2-methylhexane 44
1-heptene 60
n-pentane 62
requirement for a typical two-stroke outboard engine[6] 69 65 67
1-pentene 84
n-butanol 87
n-butane 91
"regular" gasoline in US and Canada 91–92 82–83 87
"EuroSuper" or "EuroPremium" 95 85–86 90–91
cyclohexane 97
"premium" gasoline in US and Canada 97-98 88–89 93
"SuperPlus" in Germany and Great Britain 98 89–90 93–94
iso-octane (MON 100 by definition) 100
benzene 101
"BP Ultimate 102"[7] 102 93–94 97–98
t-butanol 103 91 97
ethane 108
propane 110
toluene 111 95 103
E85 gasoline 105
xylene 117
isopropanol 118 98 108
ethanol 129 102 116
methanol 133 105 119
methane 135 122 129
hydrogen* > 130 very low[8]
#6
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Propanol as in isopropyl alcohol? Isopropyl alcohol dissolves oil and toluene. Oil coats the cyl walls and toluene is an octane additive found in gas.
I'm out of my league, so can't comment on if there's real world implications here.
I'm out of my league, so can't comment on if there's real world implications here.
#10
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You can look up heat of vaporization for meth, eth, and propanol, but I believe meth's is highest, which means it will take the most heat from the intake charge. It's probably also the least expensive in bulk.
It dissolves substances such as toluene. It's been a long time since I was in college, but I remember that there was a fancy latin phrase for "like will dissolve like". Toluene is a primary anti-det agent/octane booster, especially in high octane/race fuel.
It dissolves substances such as toluene. It's been a long time since I was in college, but I remember that there was a fancy latin phrase for "like will dissolve like". Toluene is a primary anti-det agent/octane booster, especially in high octane/race fuel.
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Last edited by Ben; 10-09-2009 at 01:53 PM.
#16
You sir got screwed i would sell to you for 3 dollars a gallon of my 50/50. That adds up to 15 dollars for the 5 gallons you bought if only you where local :(
#17
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Another thing about ethanol is that it has to be denatured somehow (usually an additive) in order to avoid the alcohol tax. That probably makes it more expensive than methanol.
I worked as a tech in a biology R&D lab way back when and we used ethanol to sanitize everything. It was all denatured with some kind of sulphur compound IIRC to avoid the tax, and to keep people from making punch with it. Supposedly consumption would cause nausea. Whenever it flashed off of a surface, it left a very fine, very light residue. 'Pure' alcohol does not do that.
I worked as a tech in a biology R&D lab way back when and we used ethanol to sanitize everything. It was all denatured with some kind of sulphur compound IIRC to avoid the tax, and to keep people from making punch with it. Supposedly consumption would cause nausea. Whenever it flashed off of a surface, it left a very fine, very light residue. 'Pure' alcohol does not do that.
#18
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IPA has less octane, and is basically the least of the alcohols for what a kit is gonna do for you. IF its all you can get, use it, but know that you will need to use more to get the same affect as methanol.
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