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Old 07-01-2022, 08:54 PM   #180 (permalink)
RustyLugNut
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Here in Southern California, the "Ricer" crowd often leverages E85.

Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
My point being, I wonder what efficiency is possible if a major automotive manufacturer went all in on E85. 110 octane is quite good if an engine is tuned for it.

Does ethanol produce NOx like petrol? I'm not familiar with the mechanism that causes it in the first place. Most of air is nitrogen and oxygen. Is it simply heat?
Some of these heavily modified Hondas and Mitsubishis, etc. run 10 second quarters using E85 and do so meeting the strict emission checks here in the AQMD (Air Quality Management District) of the Los Angeles Basin. E85 allows them to run higher boost.

Just as long as they run the factory Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) or the equivalent, they can easily meet the strict local regulations. EGR keeps the flame front below 2300 C where NOx formation becomes significant. The high inherent oxygen content of E85 keeps the unburned HC, CO and particulates (in direct injection models) to a level below that of gasoline.
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