Octane Booster

used to be lead

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

Lead has been pretty much out of the picture in my state (NJ) since 1981 or 1982 or so.

no lead in UK for a long time now

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/225275.stm

unusual claim about crime figures

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/ban-on-leaded-petrol-has-cut-crime-rates-around-the-world-398151.html

Its more likely criminals cant make a fast getaway in cars now

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline

other chemicals that were added

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/leadtet/leadj.htm

Q&A About Lead Additives

http://www.ask.com/questions-about/Leaded-Petrol

The aforementioned Wikipedia article names MTBE, ETBE, iso-octane, and toluene as octane boosters. I understand there has been an MTBE residue problem in Lake Tahoe, so its proportion in the overall mix may decline over time.

Toluene was preferred in old days because of its highest octane rating. If it is used more than required it has adverse effect on engine. MTBE was popular few years back but I understand it had some problem.

I don't know but i'd like to mention,puting outside the known lead-tetraetilene :water! Check if you like the interesting history of "vitameter".-

I have the information for detail of the octane boosters but I didn't find the data about the usage of the octane boosters in USA, Europe and Australia. Which Octane boosters are mostly used in these countries (in Canada, MMT usage is 90% that I know).

Here, I would like to share the information of the octane number and octane boosters that I already have:

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What is Octane Number?

In spark-ignition internal engine, the mixture of air and gasoline is compressed and ignited at the highest compression point. In the case of gasoline type fuel, the autoignition occurs prematurely (before the spark occurs by the spark plug) and it causes the engine a distinctive noise and knocking which is harmful to the engine and engine performance. The octane number is a measure of the resistance of gasoline and other fuels to the autoignition in spark-ignition internal combustion engines – the higher the octane number (close to 100), the lower the knocking. So, the octane number basically indicates the anti-knocking property of gasoline. Octane number is also called octane rating.

How is it measured?

Octane number is measured by the percentage (by volume) of iso-octane (a type of octane) in a combustible mixture of iso-octane and normal-heptane whose 'anti-knocking' characteristics match those of the gas being tested. For example, gasoline with the same knocking characteristics as a mixture of 90% iso-octane and 10% heptane would have an octane rating of 90.

What are the Octane Boosters?

Octane Boosters are used as the additive to gasoline to increase the octane number. There are basically four categories of octane booster used to increase the knocking property of the gasoline vehicle: (1) Organo-metallics, (2) Oxygenates, (3) Aromatics and (4) Iso-octane.

1. Organo-metallics: This category has three sub categories

(a) Lead based - The lead based boosters are TEL (Tetra-Ethyle Lead) and TML (Tetra-Methyle Lead). These are harmful to the environment and health and hence are restricted almost everywhere in the world. Though some developing countries are restricting it recently, it is banned since long time in the developed countries.

(b) Manganese based – MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl) is this category of octane booster. It has pretty much the same structure as TEL, but with manganese substituted for lead. It is harmful to vehicle however there is controversial argument about its harmful to health.

(c) Iron based: The Ferrocene is iron based additive. It is safer than TEL/TML. Though it is not harmful to health and environment, its iron element forms a conductive coating on the spark plug surfaces of the vehicle.

2. Oxygenates: Ethanol, MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether), ETBE (Ethyl tertiary butyl ether), TAME (Tertiary Amyl Ether) are of this category. Ethanol is commonly used as a fuel as well as octane booster; however its fuel energy is lower than gasoline. The use of MTBE is being phased out in many places due to issues with contamination of ground water. ETBE is used in a small percentage with ethanol as a common additive. TAME is almost similar to ETBE.

3. Aromatics: Toluene and Xylene are aromatic category of gasoline booster. They both have higher flashpoint, so they are harder to ignite. They contain more energy than gasoline and hence primarily are used as additive in the gasoline for race car.

4. Iso-octane: It is one of the components of gasoline; octane number of pure iso-octane is 100. So, increasing its contents in gasoline decreases the knocking property. It is hazardous to the human body. Long term exposure to iso-octane may cause kidney damage.

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- MS

In the old times,by races teams, some people prepared a solution no with care that it deserves:gasoline with "naftalina" balls used to keep away butterflies (those ones what eats your clothes closed in furniture).It was forbidden for bein so dangerous i guess:may you know classify that "naftalina" in the categories you mention.-

Another important one, soon to be banned, is MEL.

Wangito