Flammability of Alcohol-Gasoline Blends in Fuel Tanks

Fire safety science-proceedings of the fourth international symposium. p. 575-586.
This paper examines the relative flammability hazard presented by the fuel tank
headspace vapours of various alcohol-gasoline blends, including methanol (MlOO), ethanol
(ElOO), winter gasoline, summer gasoline and winter and summer blends of M85, E85 and
E
10. Ignition tests were conducted to establish flammability limits for each of the fuels.
Measured limits were compared to those predicted by the RMC multicomponent fuel
volatility model and conclusions were drawn as to the comparative hazards of the fuels
studied. The model was also used to examine the effect of fuel tank fill level on the
flammability limits of the respective blends. The results show the tendency of the
flammability limits both to broaden and shift to warmer temperatures with decreasing fill
level or increasing alcohol content.