EXAMINING THE ECO-FRIENDLY ASPECTS OF ETHANOL–METHANOL BLENDED GASOLINE ON ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND EMISSIONS

Abstract

The increasing global demand for energy, environmental concerns, and the limited availability of energy resources have heightened interest in alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. In this context, internal combustion engines like gasoline engines play a significant role in the search for environmentally friendly and sustainable energy sources. Alcohols are among the most used alternative fuels in spark-ignition engines. This study examines the feasibility of using ethanol and methanol alcohols as fuels simultaneously in a gasoline engine. The research investigates the effects of blending 10% ethanol and 10% methanol alternative fuels with gasoline and using the resulting blended fuel as the engine's fuel source on motor performance and exhaust emissions. The study was conducted under throttle wide-open conditions at different engine speeds. The results revealed a maximum decrease of 1.3% in effective power. Significant reductions in hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions were observed at all engine speeds, with maximum reductions of 18% and 19%, respectively. Furthermore, a decrease in carbon monoxide emissions is evident across the entire spectrum of engine speeds, underscoring the potential of ethanol-methanol blended gasoline to contribute to a reduced carbon footprint in the transportation sector. As a result of the study, in the case of using ethanol and methanol in engines, both the higher oxygen content of alcohols and their high evaporation energy due to their cooling effect cause an improvement in the emission values emitted from the engine without significant deterioration in engine performance parameters.