Butanol Gasoline Blends Research Articles

The use of amines as steel corrosion inhibitors in butanol-gasoline blends

Butanol is an interesting component used for blending gasoline fuels. However, the polar nature of butanol allows the solubility of water and ionic compounds in butanol-gasoline blends (BGBs) making them aggressive to mild steel. Amines, such as ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentaamine, morpholine, piperazine, and hexamethylenediamine, were tested as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in BGBs. Additionally, the influence of the acetic acid and sodium chloride concentrations on the inhibition efficiency was examined. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy andpotentiodynamic polarization were employed for the measurements, complemented by static immersion testing and an XPS surface analysis. The highest inhibition efficiency was demonstrated for diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, andhexamethylenediamine, achieving a value of 95 % or more at aconcentration of 100 mg/L. The formation of ionic pairs involving protonated amines andchlorides was also confirmed. The XPS analysis revealed a very thin passive layer of iron oxides, which may form in the presence of amines, protecting mild steel in BGBs.

Experimental investigations on in-cylinder flame and emission characteristics of butanol-gasoline blends in SI engine using combustion endoscopic system

The objective of this study is to characterize the in-cylinder flames of butanol-gasoline blends in a spark ignition (SI) engine. The experiments were performed using butanol-gasoline blends prepared in the ratio of 10:90, 20:80, and 30:70 by volume. The in-cylinder combustion was visualized and captured using a combustion endoscopic system. From the captured combustion images, spatial flame distribution was evaluated for butanol-gasoline fuel blends. Furthermore, combustion, emission, and performance characteristics were investigated in a SI engine for the same blends. The engine test results were rationalized from the flame characterization results of butanol–gasoline combustion to improve the fundamental understanding. The experimental outcome is that the flame spread region (%) was found to be higher for butanol blends when compared to sole gasoline fuel. The addition of butanol to gasoline increased the flame speed and consequently increased the combustion burn rate, as well as the pressure and heat release rate within the cylinder. The brake thermal efficiency of the engine increased with increasing butanol concentration in the blend. In addition, the butanol-gasoline blends showed decreased CO and HC emissions when compared to gasoline but reportedly increased NO emission for butanol-blended gasoline blend fuels. Overall, this study concludes that butanol has the potential to be used as a supplement to gasoline due to improved flame and engine characteristics and can be used in the conventional gasoline engine without any major engine modification.

High density polyethylene and butanol-gasoline blends: A material compatibility study

We are now well on the path of transitioning away from the fossil fuel resources on cutting down their consumption as much as possible. The fuels chosen for this study include ethanol-butanol (EB) -gasoline, acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) -gasoline and methanol-butanol (MB) -gasoline blends. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is a polymer that is extensively used in several auto parts and fuelling infrastructure materials. Incompatibility between these blends and fueling infrastructure system should be studied comprehensively for the adoption of these alternative fuels to be faster and hassle free. This study intends to gauge the changes in HDPE because of its immersion in the gasoline-alcohol blends mentioned for a period of 4, 30 & 90 days. The changes were ascertained by studying the mass, tensile strength, elongation, and hardness of the samples before and after immersion into blends. Sophisticated techniques were used to characterize the morphological and chemical changes of the polymer. The results showed that there was an increase in the mass of the HDPE samples as a result of the absorption of the blends by the polymeric samples. A decrease in tensile strength and hardness values were recorded for the samples whereas the elongation values were found to increase. Studies revealed that there was neither fuel degradation nor any oxidative degradation of the polymeric sample. The results indicated an increase in the mass and elongation of the HDPE as a result of the absorption of the fuel leads to lesser stable polymeric matrix and decrease in the percentage crystallinity. Hence this investigation led us to the conclusion that all the fuels blends studied are highly compatible with HDPE, even in instances where a change in the mechanical properties is seen, it is similar to that seen in gasoline.

Comparative Analysis of the Engine Performance and Emissions Characteristics Powered by Various Ethanol–Butanol–Gasoline Blends

Although many biofuel blends have been proposed recently, comparisons of such blends are rarely investigated. Currently, it is extremely difficult to recommend one biofuel blend over another since comparisons are not carried out under the same engine conditions. In the current study, different biofuel blends in dual and ternary issues are compared together, as well as with conventional gasoline under the same engine conditions. Five different biofuel blends are considered, i-butanol (iB), n-butanol (nB), bio-ethanol (E), n-butanol–bio-ethanol (nBE), and i-butanol–bio-ethanol–gasoline (iBE) blends, at two different engine speeds (2500 and 3500 rpm/min). Additionally, the blends are compared in the average bases through wide engine speeds. The comparisons of blends are carried out via engine performance and emissions. The performance includes engine power, torque, and volumetric efficiency, while the emissions include CO, CO2, and UHC. Results showed that the E blends presented higher performance than the pure/neat gasoline by about 6.5%, 1.5%, and 25% for engine power, torque, and volumetric efficiency, respectively. Nevertheless the other four blended fuels (nB, iB, nBE, and iBE) presented lower levels of engine performance than the pure gasoline by about −3.4%, −2.6%, −5.2%, and −2.3% for engine power, −1.48%, −0.9%, −1.9%, and −1.7% for torque, and −3.3%, −3%, −2.4%, and −2.7% for volumetric efficiency, respectively. Regarding emissions, the E blends presented the highest CO2 (by about 4.6%) and the lowest CO (by about −20%), while both nB and iB showed the lowest CO2 (by about −35% and −36%, respectively) and the highest CO emissions (by about −10% and −11.6%, respectively). Lastly, iB and nBE introduced, respectively, the highest and the lowest UHC emissions (by about −6.8% and −17%, respectively) among all blends.

Butanol-gasoline blends impact on performance and exhaust emissions of a four stroke spark ignition engine

This study examined the possibility of finding an alternative fuel to replace the Iraqi-origin gasoline. Iraqi gasoline has high levels of lead and sulfur compounds, so the pollutants emitted from it are very dangerous to human health and the environment. In the current study, butanol was added to gasoline with volume fractions of 25%–75% gasoline (G75B25) and 50% butanol to 50% gasoline (G50B50). The influence of these two alcohol ratios of blending on the performance and exhaust emissions of engine were compared. This study aims to provide a clean and healthy fuel as an alternative to gasoline of Iraq with low combustion emission content.The results revealed that mixing gasoline with butanol led to better engine performance and lower exhaust emissions compared to the case of gasoline fuel alone. When comparing gasoline with G75B25 blend, it shows a relative decrease in the specific brake consumption (bsfc) of about 2% while (bsfc) was increased by 2.38% when G50B50 was used compared to gasoline. The CO emissions were reduced by 27.79% and 39.11%. Also, HC levels were reduced by 15.93% and 28%, respectively, compared to gasoline. The studied blends reduced noise levels by 1.64% and 3.93%. The obtained results confirm the possibility of adopting any of the two studied blends as a suitable alternative to gasoline and friendly to the Iraqi environment.

Methanol/Ethanol/Butanol-Gasoline Blends Use in Transportation Engine—Part 1: Combustion, Emissions, and Performance Study

Abstract Primary alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, and butanol have exhibited excellent potential as possible alternative fuels for spark ignition (SI) engines because they are renewable, cleaner, and safer to store and transport. However, it is important to investigate the technical feasibility of adapting these primary alcohols in existing SI engines. In this research, a multi-point port fuel injection (MPFI) system equipped SI engine was used for assessing and comparing the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of various alcohol-gasoline blends (gasohols) vis-à-vis baseline gasoline. The experiments were performed at different engine loads at rated engine speed. Experimental results exhibited relatively superior combustion characteristics of the engine fueled with gasohol than the baseline gasoline, especially at medium engine loads. Among different test fuels, the methanol-gasoline blend (GM10) exhibited relatively more stable combustion characteristics than the ethanol-gasoline blend (GE10) and butanol-gasoline blend (GB10). In this study, relatively superior engine performance of the gasohol-fueled engine was observed at all engine loads and speeds. GB10 exhibited the highest brake thermal efficiency (BTE), followed by GM10 amongst all test fuels. The effect of improved combustion was also reflected in the emission characteristics, which exhibited that GB10 emitted relatively lower carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HCs) than other test fuels. GB10 emitted relatively higher nitrogen oxides (NOx) than GM10 and GE10. Unregulated emission results exhibited that the engine fueled with gasohols emitted relatively lower sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and various other saturated and unsaturated HCs than the baseline gasoline. The GM10-fueled engine was relatively more effective in reducing unregulated emissions among all test fuels. This study concluded that methanol and butanol blending with gasoline resulted in superior engine performance and reduced harmful emissions in MPFI transport engines. This offered an excellent option to displace fossil fuels partially and reduce emissions simultaneously.

Optimization based on genetic algorithms on energy conservation potential of a high speed SI engine fueled with butanol–gasoline​ blends

Bio-n-butanol is widely recognized as a renewable alternative biomass fuel, it is gradually used in internal combustion engines for scientific research to alleviate the energy crisis and environmental pollution. However, due to the difference of physical and chemical properties between n-butanol and gasoline, if n-butanol is directly applied to gasoline engines, it will certainly cause changes in engine performance. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the optimal energy conservation potential of n-butanol application in gasoline engines. Driven by this fact, an experiment was conducted in a high speed, spark ignition (SI) engine with n-butanol blended ratio of 0% and 35% by volume to gasoline, and simulation model of GT-Power coupling with MATLAB/Simulink is built and calibrated based on the tested data. The synergistic optimization of multiple operating variables with the corresponding genetic algorithms (GA) optimization methodologies is carried out to reveal the optimal energy conservation potential of engine fueled with butanol–gasoline blends. Results show that, when the torque remains the same with respect to that of the original engine, the optimized brake specific energy consumption (BSEC) at the corresponding engine speed under full load are significantly lower than the original BSEC, the average improvement in percentage of BSEC is approximately 7.11%. By adopting the method of multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), the power and economy of the engine fueled with butanol–gasoline blends can be balanced simultaneously. The engine operating parameters can be chosen that the BSEC may be small while the engine is optimally powered. Besides, it is found that the pumping loss is affected by the combined effect of intake timing and exhaust timing. The optimization procedure can be applied to calibrate the universal characteristics of engines, and the findings obtained from this study can provide guidance for better application of alternative energy in traditional thermal machines.

Performance and emission characteristics of biogas-bio diesel fuelled RCCI engine at various butanol-gasoline injection timings

Energy, a basic need of human life, has been playing significant role behind many technological developments. Most of the world’s commercial energy requirements are fulfilled by using fossil fuels. Combustion of fossil fuels releases toxic gases which in further turns as a source of pollution for the environment, globally. The present research work focused on minimizing the emissions that emerges during combustion in an IC engine through Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) mode. The performance and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder CI engine are analyzed with 3 different fuels; biodiesel, butanol-gasoline (1:4 ratio), and biogas. The operational loads taken for the present study falls in the range from 5 N-m to 20 N-m at the engine speed of 1800 RPM. The influence of biogas on the emission characteristics is exclusively carried out with two different flow rates; 12lpm and 16lpm. The injection timings for butanol-gasoline blend are varied from 0 to 8ms. Fuel properties such as Viscosity, Vapor pressure, Density, Cloud point, Pour point, and Flashpoint are estimated. Engine parameters such as Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE), Volumetric Efficiency (VE), HC, CO, NOx and smoke emissions, Peak pressure, Heat Release Rate (HRR), Ignition Delay, are analyzed. It is observed from the experiments that increasing injection time of pilot fuel - increases the HC and CO emissions; reduces the NOx emissions; decreases the smoke level with increase in biogas flow rate; and decreases the BTE, VE, and HRR

Life cycle assessment of a farmed wood butanol-gasoline blend as an alternative transport fuel for passenger cars

The objective of this study is to investigate the environmental profile of farmed pine wood butanol blended with gasoline in a volumetric ratio of 30% and to compare the results with neat gasoline as a fossil reference fuel. To this end, the well-to-wheel approach has been chosen as it encompasses the entire fuel life cycle, i.e. the total fuel production chain including fuel use in the vehicle, while the vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure-related processes are excluded. The well-to-wheel analysis focuses on the biochemical production path in Germany for the years 2018 and 2040, considering different electricity generation mixes for the butanol production process and different fuel consumption and emission factors from passenger car operation in both years. The results, based on 16 midpoint impact categories of the ILCD2.0 life cycle impact assessment method, show that for the total fuel production and use stage, the butanol-gasoline blend has a higher environmental impact than the reference fuel. The main processes causing environmental impacts can be identified in the fuel production and related upstream stages. Regarding the use stage of the fuels, the butanol-gasoline blend reveals lower environmental impacts than the fossil gasoline reference fuel, as the biofuel blend reduces several tailpipe emission components like particulate matter. However, these reductions do not mitigate the total well-to-wheel impacts compared to fossil gasoline because fuel production and its upstream processes have a more significant impact. The analysis closes by highlighting several measures with a strong potential to improve the total environmental profile of the butanol-gasoline blend.

The study of cyclic variability at a n-butanol spark ignition engine fueled

Alcohols such as ethanol, methanol and butanol have gained more attraction in recent years in the use of alternative fuels at the internal combustion engines (ICE) because of their good combustion properties. The use of the butanol-gasoline blends can lead to a decrease in greenhouse gases (CO2) and pollutants such as unburnt hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) but may increase nitrogen oxides (NOx). An experimental study carried out on a spark ignition engine fueled with a n-butanol-gasoline blend (10% vol. butanol - 90% vol. gasoline) at an engine load χ=55%, speed of n=2500 rpm and different air excess ratios (λ). The objective of this paper is to determine the effects of n-butanol on combustion, specifically on the cyclic variability. So, the COV values for maximum pressure, indicated mean effective pressure and angles of mass fraction burned -10%, 50% and 90%- are presented The engine fueling with butanol-gasoline blend engine leads to the decrease of the cyclic variability and the COV values don’t exceed the recommended value. A great advantage of n-butanol use is the increase of the thermal efficiency due to the stable engine operation and at lean mixtures.

Particulate Morphology Characterization of Butanol–Gasoline Blend Fueled Spark-Ignition Direct Injection Engine

Abstract Butanol is an oxygenated renewable fuel and therefore is a potential candidate to be blended with gasoline to reduce particulate emissions. In this experimental investigation, particle number-size (PN-size) distribution and morphology (physical characterization) of soot emitted by the butanol–gasoline blend in a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine have been investigated. The effect of engine load and fuel injection pressure (FIP) on particulates was investigated for two test fuels: gasoline and Bu15 (85%, v/v, gasoline blended with 15%, v/v, butanol) in a 0.5 L single-cylinder GDI engine using an engine exhaust particulate sizer (EEPS) and a partial flow dilution tunnel for collecting particulate samples on a filter paper. The physical characterization of particulates included primary particle size (Dp) and particle agglomerate characterization parameters such as agglomerate length (L), agglomerate width (W), skeletal length (Lsk) and skeletal width (Wsk), which were determined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and corresponding image analyses. PN-size distribution was relatively lower for Bu15, which decreased with increasing FIP. Regardless of the GDI engine operating condition, classical sphere and chain-like agglomerates having nearly similar nano-scale morphology were detected. The primary particle diameter changed with varying engine operating conditions. A comparative analysis of soot originating from Bu15 and gasoline was presented, which may be useful for gasoline particulate filter (GPF) design and to understand the regeneration of GPFs in practical engine applications.

A comparative analysis of knock severity in a Cooperative Fuel Research engine using binary gasoline–alcohol blends

Knock remains one of the main limitations for increasing the efficiency in spark-ignition engines. The use of certain alcohol–gasoline blends is an effective way to either mitigate or eliminate knock, allowing the use of higher compression ratios, therefore increasing the efficiency of spark-ignition engines. Methanol and ethanol are alcohols commonly employed for reducing knock, due to their higher octane number and vaporization heat value. Major attention is being paid recently to butanol and its blends with gasoline since they present similar characteristics to gasoline; however, it was found to be the least knock resistant among the three fuels. In the present work, a comparison between the knock performance of methanol–gasoline, ethanol–gasoline and butanol–gasoline blends is carried out, by volume concentrations up to 20 v/v%. This comparison is made in terms of knock intensity and knock probability. Tests are performed in a single-cylinder, variable-compression ratio, Cooperative Fuel Research engine equipped with port fuel injection system, facilitating the comparison against future results obtained by similar experimental facilities. Results obtained allow to reach meaningful conclusions about the capacity of each blend to mitigate knock.

The study of the spark ignition engine operation at fuelling with n-butanol-gasoline blends

For conventional internal combustion engines alternative fuels such alcohols (ethanol, methanol and butanol) have attracted more attention. This aspect is due to the fact that alcohols have good combustion properties and high oxygen content. Butanol is a viable fuel for blending with conventional fuels such as gasoline or diesel because of its high miscibility with these conventional fuels. The high combustion speed of butanol compared to that of gasoline ensures a shorter burning process thus the engine thermal efficiency can potentially be improved. Moreover, the additional oxygen content of the alcohol n-butanol can potentially improve the combustion process and can lead to a reduction of carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons emissions level. Utilizing butanol-gasoline blends can provide a good solution for the reduction of greenhouse gases level (CO2) and pollutants level (CO, HC, and NOx). An experimental study was carried out in a spark ignition engine which was fueled with a blend of n-butanol-gasoline at different volume percentages. The objective of this paper is to determine the effects of butanol on the engine energetic performances and on the emissions (HC, CO and NOx). At first the engine fueled with pure gasoline to set up a reference at the engine load χ=55%, engine speed of n=2500 min-1 and different excess air coefficients (λ). After setting the reference the engine was fueled with butanol-gasoline blend (10% vol. butanol 90% vol. gasoline) with the same engine adjustments. At butanol use the CO, HC and CO2 emissions level decreased, but the NOx emission level increased. The butanol can be considered a good alternative fuel for the spark ignition engines without modifications.

Effects of butanol\u2013gasoline blends on SI engine performance, fuel consumption, and emission characteristics at partial engine speeds

The effects of using butanol–gasoline-blended fuels on performance, fuel consumption, and emission characteristics of a four-cylinder spark-ignition engine were experimentally investigated. The butanol-blending fraction was varied from 10 to 50% by volume. The engine speeds were tested at 2250 and 4250 rpm, while the throttle positions were set at 30% and 70%. The engine performance, specific fuel consumption, and emission properties have been carried out and compared. The results show that, at high throttle position, the flame propagation speed of combustion process as using the butanol–gasoline blends decreases as increasing the butanol-blending fraction and this becomes more obvious with the increase of engine speed. The engine brake torque and power are improved, as the butanol-blending fraction is less than 30% at low open throttle position, while those are gradually decayed as increasing throttle opening level. A significant reduction is observed in specific fuel consumption, as the butanol-blending fraction is less than 30% for all the tests. The emissions of CO, HC, and CO2 in the case of using butanol–gasoline blends are much better than those in the case of using pure gasoline. However, NOx emission is worse than that of the pure gasoline for all the test blends.

Comparative assessment of butanol and algae oil as alternate fuel for SI engines

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the potential of butanol and algae oil as alternate fuels for SI Engines using blends of gasoline-butanol and gasoline-algae oil. The studies have been carried out on the effect on IC engines under different volume basis of butanol-gasoline blends. The effect of Butanol and Algae addition on combustion of SI engine by considering parameters such as variable compression ratio, algae and butanol blend ratio and loading conditions have been studied. As butanol content in fuel is increased, the efficient combustion process will take place. Further, as the load is increased, the heat release becomes higher in case of pure gasoline, pure diesel and their respective blends with butanol. Also, the different performance parameters like power, emissions, and economy of fuel have been studied. The studies reveal that the power, torque, brake specific energy consumption, Hydrocarbons, Carbon-mono-oxides and NO emissions gets improved with butanol addition, whereas NOx and CO2 emissions are higher than gasoline and diesel. Algae fuel has shown enhancement in the brake specific fuel consumption, NOX, CO emissions and reduced in brake thermal efficiency.

To Study the Performance and Emissions Characteristics of Butanol Blended Gasoline Fuel Single Cylinder Spark Ignition Engine

As our country has vast resources including molasses, bagasse, rice husk and wheat husk for production of butanol, utilization of butanol in spark ignition engine will enhance sustainability of energy sector. Butanol is a carbon neutral fuel and octane booster of gasoline. This study is aimed at study of performance and emission characteristics of a spark ignition engine for different butanol-gasoline blends. In the first phase, experimental work was conducted on the spark ignition engine with butanol which volume in gasoline was varied from 10% to 30%. The compression ratio of the engine was maintained as 6.5:1. CO and HC emissions decreased with increase the butanol content in gasoline. This is due to increase in oxygen %age in the fuel. However, NOx emission increased with higher percentage of butanol in gasoline blend. It is observed from this experimental study that latent heat of vaporization of butanol dominates the NOx at lower load resulting to lower NOx where as high temperature due to oxygen content of butanol influences at higher load that results in higher NOx emission. In the second phase, in order to improve the performance and emission reduction of the engine, its compression ratio was increased from 6.5:1 to 8.7:1 by modification of the engine cylinder head. The results indicate the beneficial of the higher compression ratio in terms of performance and all emissions except NOx emission. HC emissions decreased drastically from 115 ppm with B0 to 74 ppm with B20 and CO decreases from 7.62% for B0 to 4.4% for B20.NOx emission is lesser at lower load and conversely it is higher at higher load. It is vary from 107 ppm with zero load to 1013 ppm with B30 at 1500W load. The optimum value of butanol percentage in gasoline is chosen as based on NOx emission.

Biobutanol production from corn stover in the US

On account of complexities associated with commercial production of second-generation biofuels, comprehensive examinations are required to enhance the economic feasibility of biobutanol production from cellulosic compounds. As the most abundant crop residue in the US, corn stover is a readily available feedstock for biorefineries. However, there are few studies to evaluate the corn stover application in the large-scale biobutanol production. In this regard, in order to estimate the amount of collectible corn stover special to biobutanol production, a quantitate model was presented. In this model, the residue potential quantity, job creation, butanol blends potential quantity, greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and social costs, forecasting future trends, economic evaluation, and risk analysis are considered. It was estimated that a total quantity of 84 million tonnes (Mt) of stover for the production of about 10.48 gigaliters (Gl) of biobutanol can potentially be collected. Around 87.4% of the total collectible residues is produced in the Midwest. A total of 81,000 jobs can be generated and Iowa can potentially create the most jobs. Furthermore, around 9.5 Gl of gasoline can be saved and about 64.6 Gl of butanol-gasoline blend (Bu16) can potentially be produced from corn residues in the US, which is equivalent to 11.8% of total domestic gasoline consumption. The average minimum selling price (MSP) in the Midwest was $5.76 and $4.05 per gallon depending on the feedstock price, and Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota were predicted to be very attractive in terms of lower selling prices.

Impact of bio-alcohol fuels combustion on particulate matter morphology from efficient gasoline direct injection engines

The requirements for controlling particulate emissions in gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, particularly in hybrid vehicles (where frequent cold-start event impact on both, particles characteristics and catalytic aftertreament efficiency), nesesitates the need for understanding their formation mechanism and their morphological characteristics. The findings described in this investigation have significance in the design of efficient Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPFs) and the development of computational models that predict particle filtration and oxidation processes.Morphological analysis of the particulate emissions from the combustion of commercial gasoline and two bio-alcohol blends: of 25% v/v ethanol in gasoline and 33% v/v butanol and 67% v/v gasoline, in a modern GDI engine has been carried out using a transmission electron microscopy. The primary particle size distribution from the combustion of butanol-gasoline blend was slightly smaller compared to gasoline, while the mean primary particle diameter was 3 nm smaller from the combustion of ethanol-gasoline fuel. This decrease in primary particle size for ethanol-gasoline blend was also reflected in a reduction of the mean radius of gyration and mean number of primary particles per agglomerate.The combustion of butanol-gasoline blend induced improved particle oxidation rates during the combustion process and post-oxidation stage, and led in 80% and 60% reduction in particle concentration in the engine exhaust when compared to the combustion of gasoline and ethanol-gasoline blend, respectively. Additionally, the estimation of the particle fractal dimension through the use of fractal equation, minimum bonding rectangle method and root form factor showed comparable results for butanol-gasoline and gasoline, with the particle agglomerates being more compact than the ethanol-gasoline fuel, where more chain like particles are seen. Therefore, particles emitted from the combustion of ethanol-gasoline fuel are easier to be trapped (lower fractal dimension) and present a higher reactivity (high surface/volume ratio) compared to particles emitted from gasoline combustion.

Comparative analysis of the Performance and Emission Characteristics of ethanol-butanol-gasoline blends

Global warming and energy security being the global problems have shifted the focus of researchers on the renewable sources of energy which could replace petroleum products partially or as a whole. Ethanol and butanol are renewable sources of energy which can be produced through fermentation of biomass. A lot of research has already been done to develop suitable ethanol-gasoline blends. In contrast very little literature available on the butanol-gasoline blends. This research focuses on the comparison of ethanol-gasoline fuels with butanol-gasoline fuels with regard to the emission and performance in an SI engine. Experiments were conducted on a variable compression ratio SI engine at 1600 rpm and compression ratio 8. The experiments involved the measurement of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburned hydrocarbons emission and among performance parameters brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency were recorded at three loads of 2.5kgs (25%), 5kgs (50%) and 7.5kgs (75%). Results show that ethanol and butanol content in gasoline have decreased brake specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions while the brake thermal efficiency and oxides of nitrogen are increased. Results indicate thatbutanol-gasoline blends have improved brake specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide emissions in an SI engine as compared to ethanol-gasoline blends. The carbon dioxide emissions and brake thermal efficiencies are comparable for ethanol-gasoline blends and butanol-gasoline blends. The butanol content has a more adverse effect on emissions of oxides of nitrogen than ethanol.

An artificial neural network developed for predicting of performance and emissions of a spark ignition engine fueled with butanol–gasoline blends

The engine experiments require multiple tests that are hard, time-consuming, and high cost. Therefore, an artificial neural network model was developed in this study to successfully predict the engine performance and exhaust emissions when a port fuel injection spark ignition engine fueled with n-butanol–gasoline blends (0–60 vol.% n-butanol blended with gasoline referred as G100-B60) under various equivalence ratio. In the artificial neural network model, compression ratio, equivalence ratio, blend percentage, and engine load were used as the input parameters, while engine performance and emissions like brake thermal efficiency, brake-specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides were used as the output parameters. In comparison between experimental data and predicted results, a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.9929 to 0.9996 and a mean relative error ranging from 0.1943% to 9.9528% were obtained. It is indicated that the developed artificial neural network model was capable of predicting the combustion of n-butanol–gasoline blends due to a commendable accuracy.