David, have you considered producing Cellulosic ethanol? It's much more efficient than corn based ethanol and can be produced using Switchgrass.

 

sooo, how do you tell if you have a specific "octane"?? is there a way to test it to see the purity of said E85?? or E95??

 

E85 = 85 percent pure ethanol alcohol, 15% Gasoline (not sure of octaine rating, probibly cheap cheap)

 

Can we work on your farm in exchange for credit to buy mods?

I like the idea of making your own fuel, this way you'll never be affected by crazy hikes in gas prices again.

 

no, no. i meant HIS octane of ethanol. how will he know it is PURE ethanol alcohol?? how do you rate the alcohol that HE will produce?? also, at 15% gasoline-what octane rating of "gasoline" do you use?? 87, 89 91?? we only have those choices here in california...you fellas back east get the good stuff of the 93oct. AND ethanol..

 

wow david. 35 post and no bashing. you should had this to your sig as a record.

 

good stuff, in upstate NY there are several places that have this on their farms, similar to making biodiesel...

 

Wow, another interesting project by you.

& a holy crap 37 posts without bashing.

 

It will always be pure athanol as long as it is distilled properly....I think.

 

This could be the one thread that Dave never gets bashed in...it sure deserves it!


Now I want to make ethanol!! Can you imagine 100 octane + 85% ethanol? Sick!!!! 100 is readily available here....I do have a garage....hmmm....

Now to just find some corn....

 

exactly. what is the "given" octane at which it becomes "pure"??

 

pure ethanol has ~110 octane

it is hard to get above 96% (everclear) purity without resorting to creative chemistry

 

ahh...now, see...THAT is an answer.

okay, so lets say that the ethanol doesnt become actual "pure" 110oct. how do you know that it is less than that?? so say you made a batch of 99oct and the next batch is 85oct. now you mix the two and you have 92oct. your octane ratings will vary depending on the batch. so, therefore your response of a given tune will differ correct??

 

there is direct measurments like specific gravity with a refractometer or a hydrometer

water = 1.0
ethanol = 0.789
less than 100% pure EtOH = <1.0 >0.789

 

how do we convert our cars to run e85? Or can we run it without any problems?