Developed by Standard Alcohol Company of America, Inc., E4™ ENVIROLENE® is a higher mixed alcohol which is synthetically produced. It is a patented formula encompassing 8 or 10 alcohols: C1 methanol, C2 ethanol, C3 n-propanol, C4 n-butanol, C5 n-pentanol, C6 n-hexanol, C7 n-heptanol, C8 n-octanol, C9 n-nananol and C10 n-decanol (n=normal, straight chained molecule).
This blend of mixed alcohols comes from smashing the world’s simplest C1 methanol molecule into itself—growing a C2 synthetic ethanol which is identical to beverage ethanol or corn ethanol.
Most ethanol is produced via four-day batch fermentation converting carbon atoms in corn starch via acidic enzymes and yeasts while offgassing CO2 beer fizz – then cleaning and sterilizing the tanks before beginning a new batch.
By contrast, Standard Alcohol Company’s GTL (gas-to-liquids) fuel synthesis process is 24×7 and continuous. Any carbon feedstock can be utilized, such as trash, tires, biomass, garbage, sewer sludge, as well as coal, methane natural gas and/or CO2 greenhouse gas. This GTL process is initiated by either steam reforming methane or by cleanly gasifying solids like garbage, sludge, biomass or tires. An intermediate CO & H2 synthesis gas is produced which is then re-arranged into liquid biodegradable fuels via catalysis to generate C1 methanol which is then converted into a blend containing synthetic ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, etc.
These longer-chained, simple fuel alcohols provide more octane and more BTU’s of combustion energy when compared to either C1 methanol or C2 ethanol. There are several more synergies which present themselves when multiple (yet simple) fuel alcohols are utilized in a synthetically produced blend as:
- A neat or substitute fuel for Flex-Fuel vehicles or
- when this formula is added to gasoline or diesel or
- when this formula is used to clean and beneficiate power plant coal before combustion.
The goal is to make more hydrocarbon fuels (refined petroleum or coal) completely combust. This is what provides:
1) more engine torque and power,
2) better fuel economy, and,
3) a drastic reduction in exhaust emissions.
E4 ENVIROLENE was accepted by the EPA for registration and commercialization on September 20th, 2001. The EPA approved E4 for 10.25% volume blends to every gallon of American gasoline. It can also be sold “neat” in a retail fuel pump allowing individual motorists and fleets who wish to utilize it at much higher concentrations. Extensive combustion tests since 1995 indicate that a 35% volume blend of E4 seems to perform best in gasoline engines where only 5% or 6% volumes of E4 performs well with street diesel.
For more information, visit the Standard Alcohol Company of America web site.
As boaters are learning, gums and varnish buildups in their fuel tanks and delivery/injector systems are residues of petroleum oils. And these residues typically become more dense in marine environments.
Any alcohol which works to improve the combustion efficiencies of refined oil products will also work as a polar solvent, blending fully into oils or coals to beneficiate them and improve combustion efficiencies. This same solvency cleaning action can plug fuel filters in the worst cases where so much decarbonization of fuel storage tanks is taking place.
The flip side is that the same cleaning action happening in fuel tanks and lines is also taking place inside the engine, turbine or boiler, which makes things run more efficiently and increases performance.
I’ve been advised by Standard Alcohol that a marine variety of ENVIROLENE® will be introduced as Aqualene and feature a distinguishing royal blue color.
The reason I ask is the fact that since we introduced around 10% ethanol to our general fuel supply, the marine industry has been up in arms due to the cleansing properties of ethanol. You see ethanol breaks down rust and or corrosions found in marine aluminum or fiberglass fuel tanks and outboard motors are failing. The standard fuel filters and racor separators are not enough to collect the debris, therefore many boater have had to replace their fuel tanks. There is an additive for this problem; however it is very expensive to use adding as much as 50% to the cost of already high fuel prices. Envirolene will probably work well with flex fuel vehicles, but keep it away from boaters unless they are equipped with stainless steel fuel tanks.
Envirolene has 49% synthetic ethanol.
What is the percentage, ratio of ethanol use to make this fuel?