Investigations of Combustion, Performance, and Emission Characteristics of Gasoline Engine Operated on Blends of Gasoline with Ethanol and n-Butanol

Abstract

World today faces two major challenges of fast depleting petroleum-based fuels and environmental threats due to combustion of these fuels on large scale. World is conquering this challenge, and alternative fuel’s suitability in current internal combustion engines is being realized. Alcoholic fuels have been suggested in this regard, and primary alcohols like methanol and ethanol are rigorously studied. Current study has attempted the comparative analysis of gasoline-ethanol and gasoline-n-butanol blend in a specified petrol engine. Experiments are performed by varying speeds from 1200 to 1800 rpm for three blends of ethanol and n-butanol viz 10%, 20% and 30% vol., respectively. In-cylinder peak pressure was found maximum for gasoline followed by Bu30. Greater mass fraction burned (MFB) values were shown by Bu20 and Bu30. Heat release rates were also maximum for high n-butanol blends. Despite of this, high n-butanol blend found short in BTE and BSFC. However, low blend Bu10 along with E10 and E20 exhibited slightly more (nearly 4% more) BTE and BSFC than gasoline. High octane rating and oxygen content might be the cause for bettered BTE and BSFC. Emissions of HC and CO were more for all blends than for gasoline. This might be due to less in-cylinder temperatures. CO2 emissions remained lower for blends.