Gasoline continued properties

Both alkylate and ether have excellent properties as gasoline blending components. They have a low RVP, a high road octane, no aromatics, and virtually zero sulfur. The emphasis on alkylation and etherification will continue in both the U.S. and the rest of the world. 

Most of the bromine produced is converted into ethylene dibromide, C2H4Bro, which is an important constituent of ethyl gas, together with tetraethyl lead, (CoH-)4pb. Tetraethyl lead has valuable anti-knock properties, but its continued use would cause damage to a motor through the deposition of metallic lead, unless some way were found to eliminate this deposit. The ethylene dibromide that is added to the gasoline provides bromine on combustion, which combines with the lead, permitting its elimination as lead bromide, PSBro. 

Alkanes are not very reactive when compared with other chemical species. Gasoline is a mixture of tlie alkanes and unlike many chemicals, can be stored for long periods and transported without problem. It is only when ignited that it has enough energy to continue reacting. This property makes it difficult for alkanes to be converted into other types of organic molecules. (There are only a few ways to do this). Alkanes are also less dense than water, as you have observed oil, an alkane, floats on water. 

The announcement in 1972 of the discovery of a new acidic solid with reproducible micropore structure generated a new wave of interest in zeolitic materials (ref. 1). The demonstration of the catalytic efficiency of the ZSM family of zeolites in the conversion of methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons was particularly timely in view of the worldwide concern over the continued availability of oil supplies. There followed a burst of activity relating to the structure of the ZSM catalysts, their shape selective properties, their acidic characteristics, their catalytic activities in a variety of reactions and the mechanism of the methanol conversion process (refs. 2-4). Efforts in this area have continued. 

A major application of fluidized bed technology is to be found in the catalytic-cracking reactor, or Cat Cracker , which lies at the heart of the petroleum refining process. Here, the catalyst particles (which promote the breakdown of the large crude petroleum molecules into the smaller constituents of gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, etc.) are fluidized by the vaporized crude oil. An unwanted by-product of the reactions is carbon, which deposits on the particle surfaces, thereby blocking their catalytic action. The properties of the fluidized state are further exploited to overcome this problem. The catalyst is reactivated continuously by circulating it to another bed, where it is fluidized with air in which the carbon burns... 

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