Ethyl Alcohol - just like alcoholic drinks. The purpose is two-fold:
1) To provide government-mandated price supports to farmers who sell their
grain to make it.
2) To provide "oxygenated" fuel for high altitude regions like Colorado
where it is supposed to
cut down on pollution by providing more complete combustion (we don't
have all that much
air here!)...
BUT
Like many govt programs, it got way messed up - here in Colorado we have
to buy oxygenated fuels on the
populated Front Range a good part of the year - and they made us use
MTBE. In my previous vehicle, the
mileage was MUCH worse with MTBE, so I was polluting much more, since I
was burning way more gas
(and money). But we had no choice - government made us buy it - like it
or not! Now they are finding bad
problems with MTBE contamination in ground water, and it is now out - but
I notice all the gas pumps still
say this gas has 10% Ethanol....
So that's the story - we would never mix anything like that in our gas, but
we aren't given a choice -
government knows best, or so they insist! I worry that maybe the alcohol
might attack some of the hoses
or plastic fittings (do we have any in MGs?). So I was wondering if anyone
had any knowledge or experience
with this. I know the FAA wouldn't let airplanes burn that kind of stuff -
it was a safety risk for some engines.
JL
> ********************************
> John Lundy
> Senior Astrodynamics Engineer
> Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
> PHONE: (719) 637-8740 x248 FAX: (719) 573-7936
> EMAIL: john.d.lundy@cpmx.saic.com
>
> ********************************
>
> ----------
> From: Joe7670@aol.com[SMTP:Joe7670@aol.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 12:14 PM
> To: john.d.lundy@saic.com
> Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Question Re: Ethanol
>
> What is Ethanol?
> What's the purpose of mixing it the gas?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Joe
>
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