Hobbies And Interests
Octane Rating
Gasoline is assigned an octane rating, which tells consumers the likelihood that a fuel will cause engine damage. A higher rating corresponds to a lower likelihood of damage from "engine knocking," which occurs when fuel auto-ignites under pressure before it is in the ideal place to do so.
Heating Value
Higher quality preparations of gasoline have a greater heating value, or energy output by volume. This improved outputs stems from differences in brand "recipe," and usually means that less gasoline is required to keep a combustion engine running; in other words, fuel economy is increased.
Oxygenation
Oxygenating fuel reduces the toxins and by-products that contribute to ozone formation in the atmosphere. Ethanol and methyl tertiary-butyl ether are two common ingredients added for this purpose, and low-sulfur fuel also aids the engine in reducing emissions.
Biofuel
Biofuel is developed from recently-living substances, especially corn and sugarcane. Oil depletion and environmental turmoil led to an increased focus on biofuel primarily as an energy security measure and a method of reducing greenhouse gases. Generally, biofuel is incorporated into fossil fuel, though this is not a widespread practice, as of the date of publication, providing for less than 3 percent of energy consumption for transportation.