Analysis of Octane Values Based on Gasoline Components of Various Brands

Chris Monaco

Octane Rating

An octane rating refers to the measure of the maximum compression ratio at which a particular fuel can be utilized in an engine without some of the fuel /air mixture "knocking" or self igniting.

Octane Rating

Research Octane Number

Determined using a one cycle engine

Run at higher temperatures and RPMs Average of the research octane number and the motor octane number. This is what is displayed on the gas pump.

Motor Octane Number

Road Octane Number

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Analysis

GC/MS is useful in determining the components of a mixture and the concentration of each component in a mixture.

87 Octane from Shell

89 Octane from Shell

93 Octane from Shell

87 Octane from Thortons

89 Octane from Thortons

92 Octane from Thortons

Qualitative Analysis

Retention Time

Retention times of components of a mixture can be compared to the retention times for known samples if run under the same conditions.
Position of the peak on the graph horizontally is equivalent to the molecular mass of a component.

Mass/Charge Ratio

Quantitative Analysis

Retention Time

The area of the peak is measured by the equation: (height of peak/width of peak at half height)
The height of the peak is measured

Mass/Charge Ratio

Known Octane Values for Gasoline Components

Ethanol Methylcylcopentane Benzene 2,2,4-trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2-methylpentane 2,4-dimethylpentane Hexane 2,3-dimethylpentane Methylcyclohexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 2,3,3-trimethylpentane 2-methylbutane 4-methylheptane Heptane 107 103 98 100 118 136 76 83 25 94 104 97 102 90 39 0

Shell
87 octane 89 octane 93 octane

Ethanol 2-methyl-pentane Hexane Methylcyclopentane Benzene 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2,4-Dimethylpentane 2,3-Dimethylpentane 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane 2,2,5-trimethylhexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 1,3-dimethylbenzene Heptane

11.3% 8% 3.7% 0% 0% 0% 6.3% 0% 2.8% 7.8% 5.8% 0% 4% 10% 0%

0% 4.3% 3.9% 0% 7.3% 0% 7.2% 10.6% 2.8% 0% 4.5% 1% 3.5% 5.7% 2.9%

10.2% 4.5% 0% 0% 7% 0% 8.2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 2.5% 21% 0%

BP
87 octane 89 octane 93 octane

Ethanol 2-methyl-pentane Hexane Methyl-cyclopentane Benzene 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2,4-Dimethylpentane 2,3-Dimethylpentane 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane 2,2,5-trimethylhexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 1,3-dimethylbenzene Heptane

7.2% 8.7% 0% 0% 9.7% 0% 4.8% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2.5% 4.1% 4.1% 0%

0% 7.9% 3.4% 4.7% 0% 0% 4.5% 1.9% 0% 8.1% 8.8% 0% 5.8% 2.8% 0%

13.4% 10.2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5.5% 0% 5.5% 7% 8% 0% 9% 0% 0%

Speedway
87 octane 89 octane 93 octane

Ethanol 2-methyl-pentane Hexane Methyl-cyclopentane Benzene 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2,4-Dimethylpentane 2,3-Dimethylpentane 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane 2,2,5-trimethylhexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 1,3-dimethylbenzene Heptane

13.2% 6% 3.9% 0% 0% 9.2% 4.8% 7.2% 0% 7.7% 0% 0% 2.9% 4% 0%

11.5% 5.5% 2.8% 4% 0% 0% 4.7% 0% 0% 7.3% 0% 0% 4.5% 7% 0%

12.1% 4.5% 2.1% 0% 0% 0% 3.7% 0% 4% 6% 0% 5% 6% 7.5% 0%

Thortons
87 octane 89 octane 93 octane

Ethanol 2-methyl-pentane Hexane Methyl-cyclopentane Benzene 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2,4-Dimethylpentane 2,3-Dimethylpentane 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane 2,2,5-trimethylhexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 1,3-dimethylbenzene Heptane

11% 6% 3.7% 4.7% 0% 0% 5.4% 6.6% 0% 8.2% 8.2% 0% 3.9% 4% 0%

11% 5.3% 3.2% 0% 0% 0% 5.5% 0% 4% 7.5% 8% 2.4% 4.8% 7.8% 0%

10.1% 4.7% 2.2% 0% 0% 0% 6% 0% 4% 7% 7% 2% 4.5% 16% 0%

Phillips 66
87 octane 89 octane 93 octane

Ethanol 2-methyl-pentane Hexane Methyl-cyclopentane Benzene 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane Toluene P-xylene 2,4-Dimethylpentane 2,3-Dimethylpentane 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane 2,2,5-trimethylhexane 2,3,4-trimethylpentane 1,3-dimethylbenzene Heptane

5.1% 7.2% 4.2% 4.4% 0% 0% 5.6% 0% 0% 8.1% 7.7% 0% 2.8% 7.8% 0%

6.1% 7.7% 5.1% 5% 0% 0% 5.9% 8.5% 0% 8.2% 7.9% 0% 3% 4.1% 0%

5.3% 7.5% 4.4% 4.5% 0% 0% 6% 0% 0% 8.5% 8% 1% 3% 13% 0%

Further Analysis
The sample could be run longer so components with longer retention times would register.

Further Analysis
If the concentration of every component of the gasoline and the octane rating for each components were known an octane rating for the mixture could be calculated and compared to the one generated by testing the mixture as a whole.

Works Cited

Data Collected at USF by:

Bettylou Wahl BS, Biology/Chemistry, USF 2004 Ken Hutchinson BS, Environmental Science, USF 2004

References:
http://www.refiningonline.com http://jr.stryker.tripod.com/physchem/gc_ms.html