gasoline composition?

Question

is there any trace of water in regular gasoline?

Answer 1

Yes, but when the gasoline has been handled properly and not stored for great lengths of time, that trace is small, much less than 1% and it dissolves in the gasoline.

Obviously gasoline tank shouldn't be left open to the rain. Nor to the atmosphere, because water can condense out of humid air in the headspace of a tank. Also, alcohol-containing gasoline blends have a much higher affinity for water and will absorb water if exposed to humid air.

Transporters and storage facilities for gasoline have water traps in their equipment to remove water than gets into the product. It doesn't remove trace dissolved amounts, only that bulk water that exists as a separate phase.

A previous poster mentioned water injection in piston engines (also done in some turbines). It prevents detonation and allows higher horsepower through permitting higher compressions engines. But it is metered in separately, not as part of the fuel stream.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

On top of what has already been said, note that gasoline, being a hydrocarbon, is hydrophobic, i.e.: it doesn't mix well with water. Water will frequently end up on the bottom of large storage containers, causing them to rust; this requires a certain amount of maintenance to be performed at tank farms.

Still, some moisture can end up in gasoline; to remedy this, "Heet" or similar may be added to physically combine with water, and then burned. Most of these products are alcohols, which will mix in gasoline AND are miscible with water. Pure ethanol, methanol, and some higher alcohols are suited to the task. Gasoline formulated to contain, say, 15% alcohol (such as some blends in some areas) will do a good job at removing small amounts of water from your tank. When E85 hits the market (for those few vehicles that can use it), these problems will almost disappear in those vehicles that use it given that the formulation is 85% ethanol.

Answer 3

Gasoline is a cut of petroleum. This cut called gasoline is made up of an array of hydrocarbons which includes a major component called Octane. Raw unreformed gasoline has a lot of octane in it but it still has a low octane rating. This rating is increased in another step of refinement called reforming.

Traces of water can be found in the finished product.

Answer 4

Only likely as a tiny contaminant. Gasoline manufactorers try hard to keep their fuels completely dry.

However, during WWII some US bomber aircraft injected water into the fuel stream to increase power! The steam produced from engine heat increased hoursepower

Answer 5

No, because it was processed in the process plant before turn into a regular gasoline.

Answer 6

There will be traces of dissolved water but I'm sorry I don't know the spec.