What is the Octane Number of Gasoline?

[TylerDella]

Gasoline octane number is a numerical indicator that measures the ability of gasoline to resist knocking combustion in the cylinder. A higher value indicates better anti-knock performance. When gasoline burns normally in the cylinder, the flame propagation speed ranges from 10m to 20m per second, whereas during knocking combustion, it can reach 1500m to 2000m per second. Knocking can cause a sharp rise in cylinder temperature, incomplete combustion of gasoline, and severe engine vibration, leading to reduced power output and damage to engine components. Gasoline with a higher octane number has better anti-knock properties and higher quality. The octane number of a particular gasoline is calculated by multiplying the percentage of different types of hydrocarbons in the gasoline by their respective octane numbers and then summing them up.