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Several gasoline supply companies have introduced versions of reformulated gasolines to gain experience in manufacturing, transporting, and marketing this new type of gasoline while providing environmental benefits. This paper describes the evaluation of one such reformulated gasoline on a variety of engine and vehicle technologies. The reformulated gasoline tested in this program is marketed exclusively in the metropolitan St. Louis area. Thus, a side-by-side comparison of fuels representing the average gasoline sold in St. Louis and the reformulated gasoline was made. The reformulated gasoline was blended at the limits of established manufacturing specifications to provide a conservative estimate of the environmental benefits of such a fuel. Emissions and driveability performance of both fuels were tested in cars representing four distinct vehicle technologies.

As a means of reducing evaporative emissions from gasoline sources, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other legislative and regulatory bodies have required reductions in gasoline volatility. Further reductions are being proposed. This paper reports the results of an investigation into the resulting flammability potential of low volatility gasolines contained in automobile tanks when low ambient temperatures are experienced. The hydrocarbon composition and the flammability tendency of the vapor in fuel tanks of passenger cars were determined via a matrix of 45 different gasoline volatility, temperature, and tank level combinations. A flammability device was developed and used to ignite vapors drawn from the tanks of in-use vehicles at the test conditions. The Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) of the test gasolines ranged from 6.5 to 9.4 psi in the near-full tank level and 6.4 to 7.8 psi at a low tank level.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the effect of aromatic compounds in gasoline on exhaust emissions of benzene. Previously reported studies have shown that benzene emissions correlate well with fuel content of benzene and total aromatics. The intent was to determine the relative significance of the individual aromatic species as benzene precursors. Although benzene combustion exhaust emissions were of primary interest, emissions of other aromatic species were also measured. The experimental design enabled determination of fuel composition effects on emissions of benzene as well as other aromatics. A matrix of 16 fuels was formulated with systematic variation in their content of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylenes, and C+9 aromatics. The emission levels of these species were determined in both engine-out and tailpipe-out exhaust from four 1985/86 model year vehicles. The EPA Federal Test Procedure (FTP) was used in all four experiments.