Carburation

TABLE 5.12 Fuel characteristics

Specific Fuel/air ratio Heat energy Latent heat of evaporation
Fuel gravity (Ib/lb) (Btu/lb) (Btu/lb)
Acetone 0.791 1:9.5, 1:10.5 12500 225
Benzole f*i«i«ii 0.879 1:11.0, 1:11.5 17300 169
Ethanol 0.796 1:6.5, 1:7.5 12500 410
Ether 0.714 15000 153
Methanol 0.796 1:4.5, 1:6.5 9800 472
Nitromethane 1.13 5000 258
Petrol 0.743 1:12.5, 1:13.5 19000 135
Propylene Oxide 0.83 14000 220
acetone/90% alcohol blend is all that is required for this purpose, although much
higher percentages of acetone may be blended if desired.
If you are concerned about the high fuel consumption when an alcohol fuel is
burned, you may be interested in a fuel commercially blended by BP, called BP-K. It is
a mix comprising 50% methanol, 35% petrol (97 octane), 10% benzole and 5%
acetone. The fuel jet size required is approximately 50%-60% larger than for straight
petrol. BP-K is very similar to 115/145 Avgas in respect to its anti-knock and engine
'refrigeration' qualities.
Another alcohol mix which can substitute for 115/145 Avgas is a blend of 30%
alcohol (either ethyl or methyl), 60% 100/130 Avgas, 10% acetone. A fuel jet increase
of 20-30% will be needed.
In areas where 100/130 and 115/145 Avgas is not available, you can blend pump
petrol with certain additives to boost its octane rating, and still remain legal if alcohol
blends are not permitted in the rule book. These days, the highest grade petrol has a
Research rating of about 97/98 octane, but this can be raised to equal, or even exceed,
the performance level of 100 octane five star petrol. Toluol, benzole and acetone are
the most readily obtainable and simple to blend fuels available.
Toluol, marketed under the name Methyl Benzine, by Shell, may be blended in
proportions up to 1:2 with petrol (33!4%) to produce a fuel of 102-103 octane. More
than 33!/3% toluol is not recommended, as starting difficulties may be encountered.
20% toluol/80% petrol will give an octane number of 99 to 100, and a 25% toluol/
75% petrol mix results in a 100 to 101 octane fuel. A change in carburettor fuel jet sizes
is not necessary.
Benzole, also marketed as 'industrial solvent' in some countries, is generally most
easily obtained from BP outlets. It will mix with petrol in all proportions, but care is
required as benzole is toxic. A 50% benzole blend raises 97/98 octane petrol to
approximately 102-103 octane. In this proportion a jet increase of around 5% will be
needed.
As with benzole, acetone can be mixed with petrol in all proportions, but it is more
usual to use a 10% or 15% acetone blend to produce a fuel of 100 and 103 octane
respectively. A change in fuel jet size is not necessary when blending in these
proportions. Acetone can be obtained from Shell Chemical Co.
At the present time in America and England, there are a large number of
concentrated octane booster additives coming onto the market. All are designed to
convert premium pump petrol into racing fuel. When blended in the correct 121