Natural gasoline
Encyclopedia
Natural gasoline is a natural gas liquid with a vapor pressure
intermediate between natural gas condensate
and liquefied petroleum gas and has a boiling point
within the range of gasoline
. The typical gravity
of natural gasoline is around 80 API
.
This hydrocarbon
mixture is liquid at ambient pressure and temperature. It is volatile and unstable but can be blended with other hydrocarbons to produce commercial gasoline.
The natural gas hydrocarbons mixture is mostly pentanes and heavier (smaller amounts of C6 and C6+), extracted from natural gas, that meets vapor pressure, end-point, and other specifications for natural gasoline set by the Gas Processors Association. Includes isopentane
which is a saturated branch-chain hydrocarbon, (C5H12), obtained by fractionation of natural gasoline or isomerization of normal pentane.
Natural gasoline is often used to denature ethanol produced for E85 "flexible fuel". Natural gasoline has a lower octane content than conventional commercial distilled gasoline, so it cannot normally be used by itself for fuel for modern automobiles. However, when mixed with high concentrations of ethanol such as mid-level blends, like E50 or E85, the octane content is raised high enough to be used easily in flex-fuel vehicles. It may be sourced from production of natural gas wells (See "drip gas") or may be produced by extraction processes in the field, as opposed to refinery cracking of conventional gasoline.
Vapor pressure
Vapor pressure or equilibrium vapor pressure is the pressure of a vapor in thermodynamic equilibrium with its condensed phases in a closed system. All liquids have a tendency to evaporate, and some solids can sublimate into a gaseous form...
intermediate between natural gas condensate
Natural gas condensate
Natural-gas condensate is a low-density mixture of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as gaseous components in the raw natural gas produced from many natural gas fields....
and liquefied petroleum gas and has a boiling point
Boiling point
The boiling point of an element or a substance is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid....
within the range of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
. The typical gravity
API gravity
The American Petroleum Institute gravity, or API gravity, is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water. If its API gravity is greater than 10, it is lighter and floats on water; if less than 10, it is heavier and sinks...
of natural gasoline is around 80 API
API gravity
The American Petroleum Institute gravity, or API gravity, is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water. If its API gravity is greater than 10, it is lighter and floats on water; if less than 10, it is heavier and sinks...
.
This hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
mixture is liquid at ambient pressure and temperature. It is volatile and unstable but can be blended with other hydrocarbons to produce commercial gasoline.
The natural gas hydrocarbons mixture is mostly pentanes and heavier (smaller amounts of C6 and C6+), extracted from natural gas, that meets vapor pressure, end-point, and other specifications for natural gasoline set by the Gas Processors Association. Includes isopentane
Isopentane
Isopentane, C5H12, also called methylbutane or 2-methylbutane, is a branched-chain alkane with five carbon atoms. Isopentane is an extremely volatile and extremely flammable liquid at room temperature and pressure. The normal boiling point is just a few degrees above room temperature and...
which is a saturated branch-chain hydrocarbon, (C5H12), obtained by fractionation of natural gasoline or isomerization of normal pentane.
Natural gasoline is often used to denature ethanol produced for E85 "flexible fuel". Natural gasoline has a lower octane content than conventional commercial distilled gasoline, so it cannot normally be used by itself for fuel for modern automobiles. However, when mixed with high concentrations of ethanol such as mid-level blends, like E50 or E85, the octane content is raised high enough to be used easily in flex-fuel vehicles. It may be sourced from production of natural gas wells (See "drip gas") or may be produced by extraction processes in the field, as opposed to refinery cracking of conventional gasoline.
- GasolineGasolineGasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...