Difference Between Oxygenated and Non-oxygenated Gasoline

Gasoline is a pale brown liquid fuel that is obtained from crude oil and other petroleum liquids. It evaporates easily, is very volatile, and can form explosive mixtures in the atmosphere. It is a mixture of many hydrocarbons. It is a highly combustible fuel. It is the most used petroleum product and is mainly used for vehicles. It is extracted from the fractional distillation process and used in a translucent form. Gasoline is a by-product of kerosene which is made from crude oil. Gasoline was considered a waste product until 160 years ago and now it covers more than 44% of all petroleum products in the world. Gasoline is also known as petrol in European and Asian countries. There are different types of gasoline but the most used are oxygenated and non-oxygenated gasoline.

Oxygenated Gasoline

The term ‘oxygenated’ means chemical compounds containing oxygen. Oxygenated gasoline is a type of gasoline in which oxygenated chemical compounds are added to increase its oxygen content. These additives make gasoline completely combustible without leaving any unburned fuel and reduce the emission of carbon monoxide and soot in the atmosphere. These additives come from natural gas and grain alcohols such as ethanol, fuel ethers, and butanol. Oxygenated gasoline is mostly used for passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks.

Advantages of Oxygenated Gasoline

• The main advantage of oxygenated gasoline is that it reduces the emission of carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and other harmful pollutants.
• It helps to improve fuel economy because of its higher octane rating.
• It prevents knocking and premature explosion in the engine.
• Oxygenated gasoline is easily available as compared to non-oxygenated gasoline which is not sold in locations with high pollution levels.

Disadvantages of Oxygenated Gasoline

• It contains additives like ethanol which can cause corrosion problems in the engine.
• It requires ethanol and other oxygenated products for it which can pollute the environment and can lead to over usage of resources like water.
• It has high oxygen content which makes it completely combustible which leads to immediate fuel consumption and reduces fuel mileage.

Non Oxygenated Gasoline

Non-oxygenated gasoline is the pure form of gasoline obtained from the distillation process of crude oil. It doesn’t have any additives in it. Non-oxygenated gasoline has better performance and efficiency but it is harmful to the environment. Its level of carbon monoxide and soot in the environment is very high. Usually, non-oxygenated gasoline is used for older boats, Lawn mowers, and old vehicles as their engines are not designed for blended gasoline and high-performance engines which need higher octane fuel for better performance.

Advantages of Non-Oxygenated Gasoline

• Non-oxygenated gasoline has no ethanol which makes it more sustainable and prevents the engine from corrosion problems.
• It is a pure form of gasoline that is better for high-performance engines like sports cars and old vehicles which are not designed for ethanol blend gasoline.
• It burns slowly as compared to oxygenated gasoline which makes it more fuel efficient.

Disadvantages of Non-Oxygenated Gasoline

• It is expensive because of its refinery process.
• It doesn’t have oxygen, that’s why sometimes it burns slowly and unevenly which can cause knocking in the engine.
• It gets oxidized and forms gum if kept for a longer period and needs a fuel stabilizer if storing it for a longer period.

Features of the Fuel

The features of a good fuel are:

• Low ignition temperature: Ignition temperature refers to the ideal temperature at which the fuel catches fire. A good fuel must have a low ignition temperature that can be easily attainable.
• High calorific value: The amount of heat energy obtained from the complete combustion of a mass of fuel is known as the calorific value. A high calorific value means high energy content which will give better performance.
• Emission levels: A good fuel should burn completely without leaving any residue which means low emissions of harmful pollutants in the atmosphere.
• Combustion rate: Good fuel must burn evenly without any interference. If it burns unevenly or rapidly it can cause knocking.
• Storage and Handling: A better shelf-life would help for long-term usage and storage without any wastage.
• Price and Availability: Good fuel should be inexpensive and easily available.

Difference Between Oxygenated and Non Oxygenated Gasoline

	Oxygenated Gasoline	Non-Oxygenated Gasoline
Definition	Oxygenated gasoline is a type of gasoline in which oxygenated chemical compounds are added to increase its oxygen content.	Non-oxygenated gasoline is the pure form of gasoline obtained from the distillation process of crude oil.
Performance and efficiency	Oxygenated gasoline additives make it more combustible but it reduces its fuel mileage and performance.	Non-oxygenated gasoline burns slowly as compared to oxygenated gasoline and gives more fuel mileage and performance.
Physical composition	Oxygenated gasoline has additives like ethanol, ethers, butanol, etc.	Non-oxygenated gasoline doesn’t have any additives. It is pure gasoline made of hydrocarbons.
Expiration	Oxygenated gasoline has a shelf life of three months as ethanol attracts moisture and the separation phase of ethanol reduces its shelf life.	Non-oxygenated gasoline has a shelf life of six months and can be stored for a longer period by adding a fuel stabilizer.
Pollutants emission	Oxygenated gasoline has lower carbon monoxide and soot (PAH) emission levels.	Non-oxygenated gasoline has higher carbon monoxide and soot (PAH) emission levels.
Usage	Oxygenated gasoline is used for passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks.	Non-oxygenated gasoline is used for older boats, lawnmowers, and sports cars also.

FAQs on Oxygenated and Non Oxygenated Gasoline

Q1. Is non-oxygenated gasoline more efficient than oxygenated gasoline?

Ans: Yes, non oxygenated gasoline doesn’t have any additives which mean high energy content and high octane rating. Which makes it better in performance and efficiency.

Q2. What are the three types of gasoline?

Ans: The three types of gasoline are, Regular (Lowest octane rating, 87), Midgrade (Average octane rating 89-90), and Premium (Highest octane rating 91-94).

Q3. Is oxygenated gasoline better than non-oxygenated gasoline?

Ans: Yes, oxygenated gasoline burns completely and has lower emission of harmful pollutants than non oxygenated gasoline.

Q4. What is non-oxygenated gasoline used for?

Ans: Non oxygenated gasoline doesn’t have ethanol in it. This makes it good for long-term use in vehicles stored for off-season and old vehicles.

Q5. What is oxygenated gasoline?

Ans: Oxygenated gasoline is a type of gasoline that contains additives such as ethanol, butanol, and ethers to increase its oxygen content.