Butanol Fuel Road
Test
Has biobutanol
fuel or butanol fuel blends been tested in cars? Yes! Butamax LLC, Butyl Fuel and others have tested biobutanol fuel in multiple
vehicles. Vehicles have been torn apart to look for potential failure mechanisms. So far, biobutanol has not
posed modifications to vehicles produced over the past 10 years. The best part is that biobutanol is
approved at blend level of 16%. More biofuel in your tank without modification.
Will 100% biobutanol fuel produce lower mileage vs. gasoline?
Although 100% butanol fuel has a slightly lower energy density than gasoline, its
combustion occurs at a uniform temperature and pressure as it is a single component
fuel. This is different from gasoline as gasoline ignites over a
broader temperature and pressure, resulting in incomplete combustion as it is made of many different kinds of
molecules. This incomplete combustion results in lower efficiency for internal combustion
engines.
An engine designed to burn biobutanol or an engine
which self tunes to burning biobutanol fuel can deliver higher gas mileage vs.
gasoline.
Is it true that racecars have won while being fueled by
biobutanol?
Yes! Dyson Racing won a American Le Mans Series (ALMS)
race in August 2010 using biobutanol as the fuel. This was the first time that a car running
biobutanol won a race.
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