Duhok Polytechnic University

Technical College of Engineering

Petrochemical Engineering
Name of student: Shkar Ahmad Muhammad
Experiment No: five
Report about: Octan number

Date: 20/4/2018
Title: Standard Test Method for Research Octane
Number of Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel, D2699.

Objective: to determine the octane number of a

liquid spark-ignition engine fuel.

Theory:
An octane rating, or octane number, is a standard
measure of the performance of an engine or aviation
fuel. The higher the octane number, the
more compression the fuel can withstand before
detonating (igniting). In broad terms, fuels with a higher
octane rating are used in high performance gasoline
engines that require higher compression ratios.

In contrast, fuels with lower octane numbers (but

higher cetane numbers) are ideal for diesel engines,
because diesel engines (also referred to as compression-
ignition engines) do not compress the fuel, but rather
compress only air and then inject fuel into the air which
was heated by compression.
Gasoline engines rely on ignition of air and
fuel compressed together as a mixture, which is ignited
at the end of the compression stroke using spark plugs.
Therefore, high compressibility of the fuel matters
mainly for gasoline engines. Use of gasoline with lower
octane numbers may lead to the problem of engine
knocking.
Apparatus and description:
Procedure:
1-Switch power to ON, the device shows the version
number, wait for about 15 sec, and after appearing a
clear chamber and press measure.
2-put in the sample holder with empty in the sample
chamber and cover the chamber by using the light shield.
3-click on the measure key to standardize the testing
device, after reading, "put in the sample" will appear on
the display means that instrument has been standardized
and ready to measure the octane number of the sample.
4-remove the light shield above the chamber.
5-put in the sample inside the sample chamber, it should
be placed carefully with the align (the alignment sign in
the sample holder should be with left alignment of the
device).
6-and place the light shield again above the sample
holder or the reading will be incorrect, and click on the
measure after reading by the instrument, "remove and
replace" will appear.
7-remove the sample holder and replace it inside the
chamber (the alignment of the sample holder should be
with right alignment of the instrument). And replace the
light shield over the holder of sample.
8-click on the "measure" after reading, "remove and
press M" will appear
9-remove the sample holder and replace the light shield
over the empty chamber and press "measure".
10-after printing the informations by the instrument, you
can determine the octane number.

Discussion & conclusion:

The octane number is a number that is used to
measure the antiknock properties of a liquid motor
fuel (such as gasoline) with a higher number
indicating a smaller likelihood of knocking. The octane
number of gasoline is measured to determine the quality
of gasoline, there is a hydrocarbon that has the higher
the octane number with 100 which is iso-octane and n-
heptane has the lowest octane number with zero,
There is two type of determining of octane number (RON
& MON) and the average between them is called AKI,
The RON means research octane number describes the
behavior of the fuel in the engine at lower temperatures
and speeds, and is an attempt to simulate acceleration
behavior. and MON is the motor octane number
describes the behavior of the fuel in the engine at high
temperatures and speeds – a full-throttle range,
comparable to driving fast on a highway. The octane
number of gasoline will be increased by adding of some
compounds into it, like ethanol, methanol, alcohol
generally.