What energy is released when gasoline is burned?
It is important to note that the theoretical energy content of gasoline when burned in air is only related to the hydrogen and carbon contents. The energy is released when the hydrogen and carbon are oxidised (burnt), to form water and carbon dioxide. Octane rating is not fundamentally related to the energy content, and the actual hydrocarbon and oxygenate components used in the gasoline will determine both the energy release and the antiknock rating. Two important reactions are: C + O2 = CO2 H + O2 = H2O The mass or volume of air required to provide sufficient oxygen to achieve this complete combustion is the “stoichiometric” mass or volume of air. Insufficient air = “rich”, and excess air = “lean”, and the stoichiometric mass of air is related to the carbon:hydrogen ratio of the fuel. The procedures for calculation of stoichiometric air-fuel ratios are fully documented in an SAE standard [35]. Atomic masses used are:- Hydrogen = 1.00794, Carbon = 12.011, Oxygen = 15.994, Nitrogen = 1
It is important to note that the theoretical energy content of gasoline when burned in air is only related to the hydrogen and carbon contents. Octane rating is not fundamentally related to the energy content, and the actual hydrocarbon and oxygenate components used in the gasoline will determine both the energy release and the anti-knock rating. Two important reactions are:- • C + O2 = CO2 • H + O2 = H2O The mass or volume of air required to provide sufficient oxygen to achieve this complete combustion is the “stoichiometric” mass or volume of air. Insufficient air = “rich”, and excess air = “lean”, and the stoichiometric mass of air is related to the carbon:hydrogen ratio of the fuel. The procedures for calculation of stoichiometric air/fuel ratios are fully documented in an SAE standard [21]. Atomic masses used are:- Hydrogen = 1.00794, Carbon = 12.011, Oxygen = 15.994, Nitrogen = 14.0067, and Sulfur = 32.066. The composition of sea level air ( 1976 data, hence low CO2 value ) is Ga
