<BIG SNIP>
Gordon said:
> Paul,
>
> It is not correct that range has to suffer by burning ethanol. In
> fact range can increase if you fly above 10,000 ft density altitude.
>
> The reason is that ethanol has an oxygen content of about 25
> percent. The effect is like supercharging, or nitrous oxide, or
> dragsters that use nitromethane which has huge amounts of oxygen.

Sorry, this is not correct -- the oxygen in ethanol is representative of
the fact that is has been partially oxidized, in other words, partially
burned. So some of the energy content has been expended over being a
hydrocarbon. Nitromethane is a different story. The oxygen can come free
of the nitro-groups and combine with any available hydrocarbons.

You carry less energy per pound with ethanol, how you use it determines
your specific fuel consumption, milage, etc.

The evaporative cooling effects and octane effects are real, but the
oxygen content has already been used up (i.e. not available).

Bill Schertz

<ANOTHER SNIP>


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