Author : Haroun Shahad and Hayder A.M. Hashim

The aim of this work is to study the feasibility of using UV rays to improve naphtha octane number. Naphtha fuel is exposed to the UV rays under atmospheric pressure with various conditions; UV exposure with cooling and catalyst, UV exposure with cooling, catalyst and oxidant O2 and UV exposure with catalyst and oxidant O2. Samples are prepared and exposed to UV rays in a cell unit under atmosphere pressure. The results show that naphtha octane number is improved when exposed to UV rays when ZnO catalyst and oxidant are used. Other exposing conditions either produces no change in octane number or reduces the octane number. The maximum rise in the octane number is 5.6 unit obtained under exposure duration of 4 hr. with O2 feeding of 2.1 ml/min. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) tests are conducted for samples before and after UV exposure to study the change in molecular structure of the sample (i.e. compounds that affect the octane number such as : Isooctane, Benzene, Toluene, P-xylene, O-xylene and M-xylene). Finally, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) tests are also conducted for the sample before and after exposure to know the eliminated and created bonds or functional groups.

Keywords: Octane number, UV rays, Naphtha, fuel additives, photo-catalysis process.

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.6 (Dec-2016)