Case Studies in Thermal Engineering (Mar 2024)
Effect of using gasoline and gasoline-ethanol fuel mixture on performance and emissions in a hydrogen generator supported SI engine
Abstract
The study presents a gasoline engine's performance and emissions results using ethanol and a hydrogen-oxygen mixture as supplementary fuels. The experiment was carried out utilizing a SI engine (single-cylinder), encompassing six different speeds (1500–4000 rpm). G100 (pure gasoline), G5E (volume 95% gasoline and 5% ethanol), and fuel blends obtained by adding H2/O2 to these fuels were used in the experiment engine. A prototype hydrogen generator was used as the hydrogen and oxygen gas source in the experiments. As a result of the experiment, adding H2/O2 to the G5E fuel blend improved engine torque, engine power, and SFC by an average of 5.8%, 5.66%, and 2.82%, respectively, compared to the G5E fuel mixture. Blending H2/O2 with gasoline led to a 3.06% average increase in engine torque and a 3% increase in engine power compared to adding ethanol. Additions of H2/O2 and ethanol to gasoline reduced CO and HC emissions. Adding H2/O2 to the G5E fuel blend decreased CO and HC emissions by an average of 24.47% and 16.75% respectively compared to G100. However, adding H2/O2 to gasoline and gasoline-ethanol fuel blend increased NOx emissions. Findings indicated that blending H2/O2 with G5E fuel enhances engine performance and decreases exhaust emissions.
