In about 3Gasoline in a car began its life journey 600 million years ago, much before the first dinosaurs appeared on Earth.
Although many people think that the fuel for cars is better than that of dinosaurs, in fact, gasoline evolved from ancient algae and plankton.
Considering that the life course of gasoline is so long, obtaining it in our time seems to be fraught with misfortune as if it were getting it close to its expiration date.
In fact, as post-apocalyptic survival movies like The Last of Us or Mad Max show, gasoline has its shelf life even in a world where fuel is available and precious.
In an article in Popular Mechanics, Matt Krisara confirms: "If gasoline is dormant in a vehicle's fuel tank for a long time, it will expire after four weeks at the earliest. "However, proper storage conditions can extend its shelf life.
Under the right conditions, fuel stored in drums can be expected to last for three to six months, while the addition of fuel stabilizers can extend the shelf life by one to six months, or even up to three years under optimal conditions.
To understand the causes of gasoline spoilage, we must first understand what exactly gasoline is.
At its most basic, gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons of different weights that release energy when burned.
During the refining process from ** to gasoline, many important changes occurred. The heavier hydrocarbons are extracted, leaving behind a mixture of paraffin (alkanes), olefins (olefins), and naphthenes (naphthenes).
In this process, impurities such as sulfur are also removed, and substances such as ethanol and rust inhibitors are added to improve vehicle performanceThese additives can cause problems with gasoline spoilage.
First, ethanol is added to gasoline because of its high octane rating and is thought to slightly reduce the carbon footprint of fossil fuel vehicles.
However, ethanol is hydrophilic, which means it absorbs water vapor from the air, which can cause serious damage to a car's engine.
Another key factor that causes gasoline to spoil is olefins.
As hydrocarbons with a double bond between two carbon atoms, olefins are particularly susceptible to the oxidation process. They react with oxygen in the air to produce nasty gum-like solids that can clog a car's engine.
In addition, leaving it for too long is also a significant cause of gasoline spoilage.
Since the fuel consists of only the lightest hydrocarbons, it can cause some of these molecules to evaporate when left for a long time. This is also the reason why oil companies change the mixture of hydrocarbons in gasoline according to the season.
Fuel in the winter evaporates more easily than in the summer, so gasoline in the summer takes longer to spoil. We should pay attention to the way gasoline is stored and used to extend its shelf life and ensure the proper functioning of the car.
This question depends on how full your tank is. If your tank is full of stale fuel (especially those with old diesel), they recommend that you enlist the help of your garage or a professional mobility service to drain the tank of its contents.
If your fees are a little lower, you may have a more affordable option. "If you suspect that your petrol or diesel has expired, the best thing to do is to add fresh fuel to the gas station," RAC advises. "Of course, a better approach is to extend the shelf life of the fuel as much as possible.
William A., professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota: "The main enemies of fuel storage include oxygen, water, and heat. "In order to extend the life of your fuel, you need to minimize the impact of these factors.
William gave a practical suggestion: "It's a good idea to store the gas in a fairly full container. Although you will lose some of the volatile components, once the concentration of these volatile components in the vapor is high enough, they will no longer volatilize because they have established an equilibrium between the gas and liquid phases. ”
In addition to whether the container is fully loaded, the surrounding environment is equally critical, and Northrop recommends keeping any stored gas in a place with constant temperature and low humidity. By its very nature, gasoline is by no means an item to be taken lightly.
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