Determination of engine performance and harmful pollutants of a spark-ignition engine fueled with higher-order alcohol/gasoline blends by engine simulation

Abstract

In this study, the performance and exhaust emissions of a spark-ignition (SI) engine were simulated using AVL program, and the outcomes were compared with the results coming from experiments. The simulated engine was operated at a constant speed (1600 rpm) and various engine powers with gasoline (G100), and it blends with different higher-order alcohols such as 1-hexanol (HEX) and 1-heptanol (HP) as new fuel combinations. The proportions of tests fuel combinations were G100, G100 + HEX (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and G100 + HP (5, 10, 15, and 20%). The experimental study showed that the highest brake-specific fuel consumption was calculated to be 0.625 kg/kWh using HP20 fuel at 1 kW of engine power, while it was found to be 0.598 kg/kWh in the numerical study. The experimental research indicated that the lowest CO emission was emitted to be 0.28% in HEX20 fuel at 5 kW of engine power. Under the same condition, it was found 0.26% in the simulation study. The highest NOx emission was measured to be 1349.8 ppm in HEX20 fuel at 5 kW of the engine power. Meanwhile, 1318.3 ppm was found in the simulation. When the simulation outcomes were compared with the experimental study results, the simulation results were in valid. The difference in brake-specific fuel consumption results between experimental and numerical research ascended as the engine power jumped up. Furthermore, reductions were observed in the amount of difference in the results related to emissions between experimental and simulation studies at higher engine powers.