Tech Talk

Haltermann Solutions supplies all the Primary Reference Fuels that are required to determine the combustion quality of gasoline and diesel fuels. The key combustion parameter for gasoline is measured by determination of the octane number of the fuel in a Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) engine for which pure iso octane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) has been assigned an octane number of 100 because of its excellent antiknock properties and n-heptane is assigned an octane number of zero because of its propensity to pre-ignite easily. Therefore, an 80:20 mixture of iso octane and n-heptane has an octane number of 80.

ASTM test method D2700 and D2699 describe the methods for Motor Octane Number (MON) and Research Octane Number (RON), respectively. In these test methods, a candidate gasoline fuel is combusted in Waukesha CFR engines and its knock characteristics are compared with a fuel composed of PRF grade iso octane and n-heptane. The iso octane specified by ASTM for use in D2700 and D2699 must have a minimum content of 99.75% of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane and the n-heptane too must be of minimum 99.75% purity. The ASTM methods also require the use of PRF grade toluene for properly tuning the CFR engine operation.

The above ASTM methods state in 13.2 Quality Control QC Testing — that Users should conduct a regular statistical quality control program to monitor that the engine is in statistical control over time. This test method suggests validating the engine system by the rating of a QC sample. The QC sample has to be a typical spark ignition engine fuel having a research octane number within the normal operating range of the engine. Haltermann Solutions provides two Reference fuels, tested at nearly 30 labs, that the customers can use for their SQC work:

1. Octane Check Fuel Regular (HF3016)
   • Nominal 88 AKI – E10 Tier 3 EEE Type Gasoline
   • ARV: 83.94 MON
   • ARV: 91.92 RON
2. Octane Check Fuel Premium (HF3028)
   • Nominal 91AKI – E10 Tier 3 EEE Type Gasoline
   • ARV: 87.30 MON
   • ARV: 96.86 RON

Use Haltermann Solutions Octane Check Fuels to keep your Octane Engines in Statistical Control