The introduction of Flexfuel technology in Brazil in 2003
brought an unquestionable advantage to reduce the emissions of
greenhouse gases in automobiles when used with ethanol.
Furthermore, the research to increase the efficiency in the use of
renewable energy is crucial for the sustainability of the
automotive industry.
Among the feasible technologies for achieving this goal, the
Direct Injection Spark-Ignited engine (hereinafter referred to as a
DISI engine) and the turbocharger are the most promising in short
and middle terms. The combined use of Direct Injection and
turbocharger on an engine can promote the downsizing. Both
technologies are closer to the Brazilian reality and the
Turbocharged DISI engine can even more be improved when used with
the biofuel ethanol through its inherent thermodynamics
advantages.
The objective is then to investigate the technical feasibility
of using a turbocharged DISI engine in the Brazilian market, and
its combination with Flexfuel technology, considering the
characteristics of the fuels available on this market.