Investigation on Performance Characteristics of Petrol Engine Using Alternate Fuel

Abstract

In the present scenario the S.I. engines being used in automotives by various manufactures are not properly suitable to out climatic condition. As our country is among tropical countries where the variation in the temperature is having very vast range i. e. from 0ºC to 48ºC in various regions of the country. Looking in to this vast varying temperature range it is very difficult to say that which temperature is most suited to operating condition of engines and gives us best performance level as for as SFC and brake power is concerned. In my work I have tried to investigate the best option to run the S.I. engine and simultaneously to maintain the emission norms. Petrol reserves are getting exhausted and it is recommended to find the alternate solution to it. In the present work the potential of methanol is being explored to serve as alternate fuel. This work is carried out with the use of petrol and methanol on a three cylinder, four stroke, petrol Maruti 800 engine connected to eddy current type dynamometer for loading was adopted to study engine power, fuel economy, engine exhaust emissions of hydrocarbon, oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust. The performance results that are reported include brake power and specific fuel consumption (SFC) as a function of engine coolant temperature; i.e. 50ºC, 60ºC, 70ºC and 80ºC with varying engine speed of 1500, 2000, 2500, rpm. Today research and development in the field of gasoline engines have to face a double challenge: on the one hand, fuel consumption has to be reduced, while on the other hand, ever more stringent emission standards have to be fulfilled. The development of engines with its complexity of in-cylinder processes requires modern development tools to exploit the full potential in order to reduce fuel consumption. There are many strategies for improving fuel economy and reducing exhaust emission. Hydrocarbon emission (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). And finally it is concluded that no remarkable difference is recorded. With use of methanol instead of petrol the variation is marginal and can be attributed to the cycle temp and combustion efficiency. Thus methano l is recommended for use as an alternative fuel for petrol engine in coming future.