The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 128
* Independent testing has shown that the use of E30 to E50 ethanol-gasoline
blends in flex fuel and non-flex fuel vehicles produces MPG results that are
better than E0, E10, and E85. My own personal experience, as well as anecdotal evidence from others also confirms this result.
For more information on the tests conducted that prove the irrelevance
of energy content in comparing gasoline vs. ethanol read the following:
FREE ALCOHOL
Committee on Ways & Means - House of Representatives
59th Congress, 1st Session
Feb-Mar 1906
https://archive.org/details/cu31924094115254
“As a power producer, alcohol is about equal to gasoline…There is far
more safety in the use of alcohol than in the use of gasoline…a fire produced by alcohol is readily put out by water…(whereas) water only
spreads and increases the danger from a gasoline fire. Cleanliness is another attractive feature in the use of alcohol (ethanol). Cylinders and
valves do not get clogged by the left-over products of (gasoline) combustion. Odors arising from (ethanol) are scarcely perceptible and not unpleasant.” (page 60)
“Three Years ago the increase in cost of gasoline compelled us to look
for a suitable substitute. I went over to Germany to visit our parent house
and study the means which had been adopted to procure a cheap and
effective power producer. I found that denatured alcohol (ethanol) was
very largely used in internal combustion engines. I had the occasion to
take part in several shop tests made with these alcohol engines… The
results we obtained showed that out of an engine of a given size…we got
on average 20% more power than out of the same size engine operated
on gasoline.” (page 96)
“Other and more scientific tests were made at the same time. I remember
one test…when the exhaust gases were analyzed…the object being to
determine…the degree to which atmospheric air would be contaminated…The results showed that an alcohol (powered) engine produced
about 20% less of obnoxious constituents than the exhaust gases from a
gasoline (powered) engine.” (page 97)
