The EU has issued directives to increase the uptake of renewable fuels throughout Europe as part of the campaign to slow climate change. The net outcome of these EU directives is the inclusion of bio-ethanol in petrol. At concentrations of less than 5% there was, and still is, no obligation for the petrol pumps to be labeled at point of sale. Permitted ethanol content in petrol is to rise from 5% to 10% in 2013 there will be a requirement to continue to offer fuels with a limit of 5% ethanol until 2013.
The report considered;
Fuel filter blockage , galvanic corrosion, enleanment, drivability, deposit formation and material compatibility.
It is widely accepted that vehicles ten years old and older will not be compatible with E10 blends, though of course there will be exceptions to this. There are approximately nine million petrol passenger cars and light duty petrol vehicles in the UK that are ten years old or older, this equates to about 38% of the total petrol vehicles. In addition to these vehicles there are thousands of relatively new first generation petrol direct injection vehicles in the UK, the last new vehicles probably being sold in 2007, that are not compatible with E10.
If E5 is phased out by 2013 it is expected that the resulting problems will include:
Increased vehicle maintenance (replacing leaking hoses, cleaning of blocked filters),
Reduced vehicle life (for example fuel tank beyond economic repair) and
Possible catastrophic failure (fuel fires due to leaking hoses, piston seizure etc).
It should be emphasised that for some older vehicles, of small market value, the required modifications to make the vehicles compatible with E10 or repairs after damage by E10 will be such that the vehicle is beyond economic repair. Hence the effect of will fall disproportionately on the poorer members of society who run these older vehicles and cannot afford to purchase newer more expensive vehicles.
The final recommendations are;
Vehicles ten years old or older, carburetor vehicles (including powered two wheelers) and first generation direct injection spark ignition vehicles should not be fuelled on E10 unless the manufacturer can state the vehicles are compatible with E10.
The automotive industry should produce a comprehensive list of vehicles compatible with E10. While it is acknowledged that some lists do already exist if in doubt the vehicle operator should seek clarification from the vehicle manufacturer.
E5 should not be phased out in 2013, its widespread availability should continue for the foreseeable future.
Consideration should be given to maintaining a specification for E0 fuel for historic and vintage vehicles.
Fuel Types
E10, sometimes called gasohol, is a fuel mixture of 10% anhydrous ethanol and 90% gasoline.
E15 contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. This is generally the highest ratio of ethanol to gasoline that is possible to use in vehicles recommended by auto manufacturers to run on E10 in the U.S.
HE15 contains 15% hydrous ethanol and 85% gasoline and has been introduced at public gas stations in Netherlands since 2008.
E20 contains 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline, while E25 contains 25% ethanol.
E70 contains 70% ethanol and 30% gasoline, while E75 contains 75% ethanol. These are the winter blends used in the United State.
E85 is a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and is generally the highest ethanol fuel mixture found in the United States and several European countries.
ED95 designates a blend of 95% ethanol and 5% ignition improver and is used in modified diesel engines where high compression is used to ignite the fuel.
E100 is pure ethanol fuel. Straight hydrous ethanol as an automotive fuel has been widely used in Brazil since the late seventies for neat ethanol vehicles and more recently for flexible-fuel vehicles.
AFS Hoses
Our Bio100 / T2240 hose is designed for 100% ethanol resistance.Regards
Bob
HUE 1979 SE6a GTE
