Water/Avgas/Gasahol/Mogas

Jim Weir wrote
Two years of college chemistry does not a chemist make out of me

You're not asking a chemistry question, you're asking a chemical
engineering question. Not the same thing at all. Anyway, I happen to
be one.

is there a cheap and easy way to chemically (or mechanically) take the alcohol
out of gasoline?

Yes. Extraction. Mix gasoline with equal quantity of water, agitate
(shake or stir), let sit in cool place. The alcohol will (almost) all
be in the water phase on the bottom. Drain water off bottom.
Gasoline is ready to use.

Your problem is the water. It now has a few percent alcohol, and
traces of organics from the gasoline. Can't just toss it (legally).

You need to flash off the alcohol and organics. Fill jug with the
water, stopper it but let a tube come out. Warm to 180F, give or
take. This will drive off some gases, which you can feed into a small
flame (a candle will do). When the water level goes down a few
percent, you're good. You can reuse that water for the next batch.

Michael

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:38:20 GMT, Roger Halstead
wrote:

Which brings to mind the question: How does anyone in Michigan use a
Mogas STC? Our gas is not labeled as to whether it contains Alcohol
or not. The pump sticker only states, "Meets Michigan fuel standard
(something or other) call this 800 number for specifics or
complaints", or something to that effect.

We have the same problem here in Alaska, since our fuel doesn't meet
whatever ASTM specification the mogas STCs require.


================================================== ==
Del Rawlins--
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"Cy Galley" wrote in message
news:FkdUc.307087$JR4.216248@attbi_s54...
The problem isn't the gaskets and o-rings. The real problem is alcohol is
a
weak organic acid and corrodes metals.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Isn't it also true, that alcohol dissolves the lacquers built up in the tank
and fuel system?

Long story short, I got two loads of gasohol (in a row) in a large motor
home, and the many hundreds of gallons of gas that had been run through it,
and the many times where gas had been allowed to sit for long periods of
time, had deposited a large amount of lacquer in the tank. The lacquer was
nicely dissolved, then deposited in the large canister filter, until there
was not enough gas flow to run it at much more than an idle.

It sound like a scenario that could be closely imitated in an airplane.
--
Jim in NC


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