acetone to increase fuel mileage 3

[alwieser]

On two other boards that I frequent, the buzz of the day is adding acetone to gasoline to increase fuel mileage. The suggested ratio is about 2oz. for every 10 gallson of gas. Most are claiming an increase of 2-3 MPG from a vehicle that typically gets 14-17 MPG; a pretty impressive increase. I suspect that part of this gain is wishfull thinking, but part is valid.

What is the downside. Damage to plastic components in the fuel system? Damage to emissions related sensors (oxygen sensor)? Increase in nox from higher combustion temps? I imagine there's a reason my friends at BP are not including this in their mix.

 

[DaveKillens]

How can acetone affect my health?
If you are exposed to acetone, it goes into your blood which then carries it to all the organs in your body. If it is a small amount, the liver breaks it down to chemicals that are not harmful and uses these chemicals to make energy for normal body functions. Breathing moderate- to-high levels of acetone for short periods of time, however, can cause nose, throat, lung, and eye irritation; headaches; light-headedness; confusion; increased pulse rate; effects on blood; nausea; vomiting; unconsciousness and possibly coma; and shortening of the menstrual cycle in women.

Swallowing very high levels of acetone can result in unconsciousness and damage to the skin in your mouth. Skin contact can result in irritation and damage to your skin.

The smell and respiratory irritation or burning eyes that occur from moderate levels are excellent warning signs that can help you avoid breathing damaging levels of acetone.

Health effects from long-term exposures are known mostly from animal studies. Kidney, liver, and nerve damage, increased birth defects, and lowered ability to reproduce (males only) occurred in animals exposed long-term. It is not known if people would have these same effects.

 

[Lou Scannon]

I find any fuel economy gains based on informal tests, with no scientifically sound theory advanced to explain the mechanism for the gains, to be highly implausible. Documenting fuel economy differences requires tightly controlled testing and/or averaging over long cumulative driving distances under repeatable conditions, which is not something you can do comparing one tank-fill to the next in on-road driving.

 

[franzh]

BS, pure and simple. Sort of reminds me of the old adage, toss a Bayer asprin in the fuel tank to increase octane, the same story about using moth-balls. Someone is blowing smoke.
Acetone is not a very friendly chemical to work with, just ask any fiberglass lay-up person.

Franz

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Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[NormPeterson]

Methinks the anecdotally observed gains are due to more conservative driving - whether consciously or unconsciously - than anything that a couple of ounces of acetone might inherently do. Perhaps a little 'optimistic creativity' is creeping into the reported increases too.

Norm

 

[Warpspeed]

So what is the calorific value of acetone ?

If it was a lot higher than gasoline, it might work, but I doubt very much that it is. If you want fuel mileage, you need something with more heat energy per unit volume that will also run in the engine, as simple as that.

Adding heavier higher heat value fuels such jet fuel or diesel won't work either, detonation will stop you.

 

[GregLocock]

I'd get your sysadmin to find out why google has stopped working on your PC, but the calorific value of acetone is 29 MJ/kg, about 75% of that of gasoline.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Warpspeed]

Hehehe Greg, I wanted others to look it up for themselves.

 

[patprimmer]

I think (please correct me if I am wrong) that a diesel engine and an dedicated single fuel LPG engine both give better MPG per BTU than normal petrol, however, I agree that BTU or calories per litre or even better per $ worth of fuel are very good indicators.

I think burn rate, compression ratio (octane rating of fuel or the ability to survive detonation), burn quality and calorific value all contribute.

I agree, lack of some site searches and use of google has repressed my inclination to put time into this thread.

Regards
pat pprimmer@acay.com.au
eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[GregLocock]

Sorry Warpseed, I fired the right photon torpedo at the wrong target.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[drwebb]

Was it Hipocrates who observed the difference between a poison and a medicine is the dosage? Acetone is a solvent of choice for nail enamel and remover, so I would say it is not much more 'dangerous' to health (and probably less) than the gasoline it would be put in. If you put a quart in it might clean dirty injectors some and increase mileage, but 2 oz. having any noticeable effect is pretty cryptic.

 

[franzh]

In the US, LPG has a BTU rating of 91,500 per US gallon, compared to about 117,500 gasoline (depending on whom you talk to, the season, fuel blend, Ried pressure) per US gallon.
It is typical for vapor phase LPG fueled vehicles to average about 20% less mileage than gasoline, partially because of the difference in BTU, but also because of the air displacement by the vapor phase fuel.
Liquid injection vehicles have a considerable advantage, the liquid phase fuel on evaporation has a charge air benefit. Sorry, wrong fora, but just thought I would toss it in.
My wifes fingernail polish remover says right on the bottle, "do not ingest liquid or inhale vapors, use in a well ventilated area", then goes into contacting the poison control center or local hospital if ingested.
Franz

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[NormPeterson]

Excerpts from the back panel of a 1 gallon can of Acetone (the front panel indicating its use for fiberglass, polyester, epoxy resins, and adhesives):

DANGER! Harmful if swallowed. Vapor harmful. Eye irritant. Contains Aceotne. Reports have associated repeated and prolonged overexposure to solvents with neurological and other physiological damage. . . . This product should not be used frequently or on a regular basis without properly engineered air control systems designed to prevent exceeding appropriate TLV. It is intended for occasional use only.

Do not take internally. Avoid prolonged or repeated breathing of vapors or spray mist. Avoid contact with eyes or prolonged contact with skin. Prolonged contact with skin may cause irritation. Rinse off skin after use. Close container after each use. . . .

FIRST AID - IF SWALLOWED, call your poison control center, hospital emergency room, or physician immediately for instructions. IN CASE OF EYE CONTACT, immediately flush with water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention.

That's telling me not to worry a whole lot about occasional skin contact, to use it in a well-ventilated area, and not do anything stupid with the stuff. For the fiberglass lay-up worker, it's obviously a different story as regards 'occasional'.

Something tells me that the acetone will be among the more volatile fractions present in this mixture, and that most of the ~0.16% concentration that's being suggested is going to end up going through the charcoal canister.

Norm

 

[Tmoose]

The max dose of tetraethyl lead in the USA was about 4 grams per gallon, or about 0.15% by weight. It was worth several octane points