Colorado Corn

OMAHA (DTN) -- Underwriters Laboratories announced Thursday that it will accept requests for certification investigations for gaskets and seals for use with concentrated ethanol-blended fuels such as E85, according to a news release from the organization.

In order to develop the requirements that will be used for certification, UL conducted a gasket and seal ethanol-blended fuel compatibility research program.

The objective of this research was to subject various materials to a variety of test conditions with ethanol-blended fuels and to assess the effects of those fuels on the materials, the release said.

The results of UL's research indicate that certain commercially available gasket and seal materials formulated for this specific use can be expected to perform acceptably when exposed to motor vehicle fuels blended with high concentrations of ethanol, according to the news release, including those that contain an optional corrosion inhibitor additive.

However, the release said some materials experienced "significant deterioration" during the research tests.

Testing of gaskets and seals for compatibility with ethanol/gasoline blended fuels such as E85 is part of UL's extensive research program into the public safety aspects of the equipment used to store and distribute these fuels.

The UL is establishing fuel-dispensing equipment certification requirements for E85.

UL develops safety standards for more than 19,000 product types including gasoline and fuel dispensing systems.

According to a news release from UL last October, the group suspended authorization to use UL markings on components for "fuel-dispensing devices that specifically reference compatibility with alcohol-blended fuels that contain greater than 15 percent alcohol."

The Northbrook, Ill.-based UL certifies the safety of a wide range of household products, industrial and automotive equipment. Certified items, including gasoline pumps, bear the UL logo.

Copyright 2007 DTN. All rights reserved.