FIRE & LIFE SAFETY: E85 Ethanol Blend Refueling Considerations
In response to the demand for alternative motor vehicle fuels,
a new fuel, referred to as E85, is being produced and dispensed
in ever-increasing quantities. E85 consists of 85 percent ethanol
and 15 percent gasoline. Following is some fire-safety information
to be considered with E85 refueling operations.
Dispensing locations - According to the National Ethanol
Vehicle Coalition (NEVC), there are more than 1,100 E85 refueling
locations and over six million E85-compatible vehicles on the
road today. Useful information on E85 refueling is included on
the NEVC website, including a search engine for locating E85 refueling
locations. Go to www.e85fuel.com
for details.
Corrosion considerations - According to Underwriters Laboratories
(UL), a high concentration of ethanol is significantly more corrosive
than more conventional, low-ethanol blends with gasoline. This
may result in the fuel chemically degrading the materials used
in fuel dispenser components, and may ultimately affect the ability
of the dispenser to contain the fuel.
Lack of listed equipment - At present, UL has not listed
dispensing equipment for use with E85 fuel blends. Current dispensing
and containment equipment listings are limited to fuels with a
maximum 15 percent alcohol (i.e. ethanol, methanol or other alcohols),
as noted in individual listings.
However, UL engineers are reviewing E85 research and are meeting
with industry and government experts to gather the information
needed to develop revised certification requirements covering
the high-alcohol concentration blends.
UL anticipates that the testing of E85 dispenser components will
begin immediately following publication of UL's E85 certification
requirements. However, developing these requirements and listing
the dispensing equipment will likely take several months. Go to
www.ul.com/regulators/e85.cfm
for details and FAQs.
Field issues - What should authorities having jurisdiction
(AHJs) and fire officials do with new and existing E85 refueling
stations using dispensing and containment equipment that have
not been listed for use with the fuels being dispensed?
There do not appear to be many documented reports of failures
or safety issues associated with dispensing E85 fuels from traditional
low-alcohol (less than 15 percent) listed dispensing components.
Leaks and failures may occur eventually if the equipment components
are not designed and listed for use with the more corrosive high-alcohol
fuels. This is especially the case with dispenser hanging hardware
components (hose nozzle valves, swivels, breakaways, etc.) that
are under stress during normal use. However, similar leakage and
equipment failures already occur with some older, damaged or improperly
maintained dispensing equipment.
Emergency response consideration - In March 2006, the
IAFC issued an alert, advising members of considerations that
should be taken into account when responding to E-85 incidents.
The alert advised that, according to U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT), fires involving E85 should be treated differently than
traditional gasoline fires, because E85 is a polar/water-miscible
flammable liquid. E85 is highly flammable, and will be easily
ignited by heat, sparks or flames.
The DOT recommends following Guide 127 in the 2004 Emergency Response
Guidebook.
Dealing with E85 refueling - Until properly listed dispensing
equipment is available, it is up to fire officials and other AHJs
to determine how to proceed when the dispensing equipment is listed
but not for use with high-alcohol blends like E85. Obviously,
consideration should be given to the possibility that the fuel
may chemically degrade materials used in fuel dispenser components,
resulting in potential leakage of contents.
Fire officials around the country have dealt with new and existing
installations in a variety of ways. This includes:
Allowing the dispensing equipment to be used
based on a review of specific manufacturer's compatibility data
for the products involved
Allowing the dispensing equipment to remain
in service or be placed in service, but implementing a program
of periodic visual inspections to verify that fuel leakage is
not present
In limited cases, taking the equipment out of service or not
approving the installation until additional supporting information
is received. Other solutions may also be identified
