Experimental Investigations on Lean Burn Spark-Ignition Engine Using Alcohol-Gasoline Blends

Alcohol fuels are regarded as a feasible approach to address escalating energy costs and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, with ethanol and methanol emerging as a promising renewable fuel for spark ignition engines. In this research work, tests were performed on a spark ignition engine altered from a diesel engine that employs ethanol/methanol-gasoline mixture as fuel under lean operating conditions. The engine was worked at a high compression ratio of 10.5:1 and 1500 rpm under full throttle condition. The 10% of methanol and 10% of ethanol and 5% ethanol and methanol each blended with gasoline, were studied and compared. Investigational results reveals that alcohol-gasoline blends displayed low COV of IMEP. Furthermore, the alcohol-gasoline blends enhanced the peak in-cylinder pressure owing to improved flame speed and flammability limits. Adopting lean-burn operation and high compression ratio can efficiently improve combustion attributes in an alcohol-gasoline fuel operated spark ignition engine.