Influence of ethanol and lead gasoline mixture on engine characteristics

Abstract

Based on EEC researches, among all fuels produced from renewable sources, besides biodisel, alchochols are considered the most perspective fuel. Bioethanol is name for ethanol produced from biomass and it has numerous advantages compared to gasoline and other fossil fuels, predominantly because of reduced CO2 emission. Additionally, utilisation of bioethanol instead of gasoline leads to reduced emission of CO and aromatic hydrocarbons. Based on numerous investigations carried out all around the world, advantages and disadvantages of bioethanol and gasoline mixture were established. The advantages are: more complete combustion, increase of power and torque, octane number rise, higher volumetric heating value and lower CO2 and toxic components (CO and aromatic hydrocarbons) emission. Disadvantages of utilisation of bioethanol and gasoline mixtures are: higher volumetric consumption, lower heating value, emission of aldechides and content of sulfur acid (originated from some distillation processes). Based on investigations carried out until now it was established that utilisation of gasoline with 10 % of bioethanol facilitate reduction of greenhouse gases emission for 3 - 4 %, if the bioethanol is produced from cereals, and 6 - 8 % if it is produced from celluloses. Zastava Automobili and Fuel and Combustion Lab from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade have carried out investigation of influence of different mixtures of ethanol and leaded gasoline on engine performance. At the beginning, physical and chemical characteristics of the mixtures with 1, 3 and 5 % of ethanol were determined, and afterwards the engine tests of most appropriate mixtures were made. The mixtures were prepared from commercial leaded gasoline and ethanol of 96 % purity. Some of the results from these tests are presented in this paper.