SciMed Education
Octane, Ethanol and Biodiesel Analysis Using a Portable Fuel Analyzer
In Summary
Portable fuel analysis provides a quick and practical way to determine important fuel quality parameters including Research Octane Number (RON), Motor Octane Number (MON), Pump Octane Number, ethanol content, biodiesel percentage and, with the appropriate calibration, cetane characteristics of diesel fuels.
Why Is Octane Analysis Important in Gasoline Fuel Testing?
Octane number is used to describe the resistance of gasoline to knocking or pinging during combustion. A higher octane number indicates that greater compression is required before the fuel ignites, making octane measurement an important characteristic when assessing gasoline and matching fuels with suitable engine requirements.
Research Octane Number and Motor Octane Number are both widely used measurements for evaluating gasoline. These values are used by engine manufacturers, petroleum refiners, marketers and others involved in the production and supply of fuels to help characterise their antiknock properties.
What Are RON, MON and Pump Octane Number in Portable Fuel Analysis?
Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON) provide two measurements of the antiknock characteristics of a fuel. The antiknock index, commonly represented as (R+M)/2, combines the Research and Motor Octane Numbers to provide another indication of the fuel’s resistance to knocking.
The Koehler K88620 Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer is pre-calibrated for RON, MON and (R+M)/2 measurements, allowing these important gasoline characteristics to be determined using a portable instrument rather than relying solely on conventional laboratory-based testing.
How Can a Portable Fuel Analyzer Measure Octane, Ethanol and Biodiesel?
The Koehler K88620/K88629 Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer uses improved Near IR optics to provide rapid fuel quality measurements. The instrument is capable of evaluating fuels for octane and can also be configured for parameters including cetane, ethanol content and biodiesel percentage, allowing several important fuel properties to be assessed using a single portable platform.
The analyser can be used with unleaded gasoline, ethanol-blended gasoline and leaded gasoline, while cetane measurements can be applied to diesel fuels. Its portable design allows fuel quality measurements to be carried out at locations including the pump, rack, terminal and production environment.
How Does Near IR Technology Support Portable Octane Fuel Analysis?
Near IR technology allows the Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer to assess fuel quality quickly without destroying the sample. Improved Near IR optics are combined with an interactive display to provide a straightforward approach to on-site fuel analysis, helping operators obtain measurements without the need to send every sample away for conventional laboratory analysis.
The K88620 is designed to produce accurate and repeatable measurements while reducing the amount of operator interaction required during the testing process. Consistent control of the measurement procedure also helps improve repeatability when consecutive measurements or testing by multiple users is required.
Which Fuel Properties Can the K88620 Portable Fuel Analyzer Determine?
The Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer is designed primarily for rapid evaluation of important gasoline and diesel fuel properties. It is pre-calibrated for Research Octane Number (RON), Motor Octane Number (MON) and (R+M)/2, while additional capabilities allow the instrument to support measurements relating to diesel cetane and biodiesel percentage. The system is also capable of evaluating ethanol content in blended gasoline.
This combination of measurements enables the instrument to support fuel quality checks across different stages of fuel production and distribution without requiring a separate portable analyser for each parameter.
How Does Portable Octane Analysis Compare with ASTM D2699 and ASTM D2700 Fuel Testing?
The Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer provides accuracy and repeatability equivalent to the CFR engine methods associated with ASTM D2699 and ASTM D2700 for octane determination. Results can also be traceable to CFR engine or other recognised fuel laboratory standards.
ASTM D2699 relates to Research Octane Number, while ASTM D2700 is associated with Motor Octane Number. Portable analysis therefore provides a practical approach for obtaining rapid RON and MON measurements where immediate information about fuel quality is required.
How Does the K88620 Portable Fuel Analyzer Improve On-Site Fuel Testing?
Portability allows fuel measurements to be taken closer to the point at which the fuel is produced, distributed or supplied. The instrument can therefore support on-site testing at pumps, racks, terminals and production facilities, providing operators with rapid information about fuel quality.
The analysis is non-destructive, while the user-friendly interface guides the operator through the testing procedure. This approach makes it possible to perform rapid measurements without extensive operator intervention while maintaining consistent test procedures between users.
How Are Portable Octane, Ethanol and Biodiesel Fuel Analysis Results Recorded?
The Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer incorporates a full-colour display and a built-in printer that can produce a record containing the time and date of analysis. Data can also be transferred through a USB connection for use with a PC, while calibration software is provided for data analysis and management of the instrument’s fuel calibrations.
These features allow fuel measurements to be recorded and transferred rather than relying only on an immediate reading from the instrument, supporting the management of results when repeated testing is carried out across different fuels or locations.
Why Use a Portable Fuel Analyzer for Octane, Ethanol, Biodiesel and Cetane Testing?
A portable analyser offers an alternative when fuel quality information is required quickly and testing needs to take place outside a conventional laboratory environment. The K88620/K88629 combines portable operation with measurements for several important fuel characteristics, including gasoline octane and additional fuel parameters such as cetane, ethanol and biodiesel content.
Its ability to provide rapid, non-destructive analysis makes the technology suitable for applications where operators need to assess fuel directly at different points within the production and distribution chain.
What to do next?
For more information about portable octane, ethanol, biodiesel and fuel quality analysis, speak to SciMed about Koehler instrumentation for fuels testing and the most appropriate solution for your application.
Page FAQ's
The Koehler Enhanced Portable Fuel Analyzer can determine Research Octane Number (RON), Motor Octane Number (MON) and (R+M)/2 for gasoline. It can also support the analysis of parameters including ethanol content, diesel cetane characteristics and biodiesel percentage depending on the calibration used.
RON and MON are two measurements used to characterise the antiknock properties of gasoline under different test conditions. Both are important fuel specifications, and they can be combined to calculate the antiknock index expressed as (R+M)/2.
Yes. The K88620 can analyse ethanol-blended gasoline as well as unleaded and leaded gasoline, and the analyser is capable of evaluating ethanol content alongside other fuel quality parameters.
The instrument can support diesel fuel analysis through additional calibrations for characteristics including diesel cetane index and cetane number. Biodiesel percentage can also be measured using the appropriate calibration.
Contact Us Today
We take great pleasure in assisting you and ensuring you get a prompt response to your questions
Live chat opening hours Mon – Fri 9:15 to 16:30 (UK Time)