ITB Experts Finally Dismantling The Cause of Pertalite is More Wasteful and Quickly Runs Out Many Motorists Complained
Recently, there has been a lot of buzz on social media about Pertalite, which is more wasteful and runs out quickly after the price increased to IDR 10,000 per liter.
Pertamina itself has denied there has been a decrease in the quality of Petalite.
Currently, the quality of Pertalite sold is the same as before the price increase.
The news of Pertalite which became more wasteful and quickly ran out was explained by ITB experts.
Energy Conversion Expert, Faculty of Engineering and Aerospace, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Tri Yuswidjajanto Zaenuri, dismantled several suspected causes.
"Not a few vehicle owners have the habit of buying gasoline based on the nominal Rupiah, not liters," said Pak Yus, his nickname.
Unknowingly, the increase in the price of Pertalite with the same nominal purchase would reduce the number of liters obtained. For example, usually buying Rp. 100 thousand and getting 13.07 liters, now it is only 10 liters.
"Because there is less, the use of Pertalite feels more wasteful in terms of the distance that can be achieved," said Pak Yus.
Much deeper, Pertalite becomes more wasteful because of the fuel itself.
One of the factors that influence changes in the calorific value contained in it.
"The calorific value determines the amount of energy density per liter produced from the density of the fuel," explained Mr. Yus. The calorific value can change from the processing of crude oil in the refinery to naphtha.
In the manufacture of fuel, the naphtha produced can sometimes be high or low depending on the quality of the crude oil. Because the specifications for naphtha produced by refineries are constantly changing, each parameter of the fuel specification is stated in the minimum and maximum limits, "explained Mr. Yus.
In Petalite, the energy density ranges from 715 kg/m3 to 770 kg/m3. When the density obtained is the lowest, the resulting energy density is smaller.
So that the energy per liter of Pertalite burned by the engine produces little power.
This is what makes fuel consumption more wasteful because for equal power it takes more fuel volume.
Apart from processing, the calorific value can also change due to air temperature and fuel tank.
"The effect is on the density of the fuel which determines the calorific value to produce energy density," said Pak Yus.
When the temperature increases, the density of the fuel will expand. However, the resulting energy density can be smaller so that the energy burned is lower.
Pak Yus also saw that the issue of Pertalite after the price increase was volatile.
"If evaporation seems impossible, the gas station's losses can be very large because there is already a minimum target volume of Pertalite sold daily," said Pak Yus.
"If the evaporation is excessive, the volume of Pertalite received is not as much as when it is filled into the vehicle," he said.