Combustion characteristics of SI engine fueled with methanol-gasoline blends during cold start

Abstract

A 3-cylinder port fuel injection (PFI) engine fueled with methanol-gasoline blends was used to study combustion and emission characteristics. Cylinder pressure analysis indicates that engine combustion is improved when methanol is added to gasoline. With the increase of methanol, the flame developing period and the rapid combustion period are shortened, and the indicated mean effective pressure increases during the first 50 cycles. Meanwhile, a novel quasi-instantaneous sampling system was designed to measure engine emissions during cold start and warm-up. The results at 5uC show that unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) decrease remarkably. Hydrocarbon (HC) reduces by 40% and CO by 70% when fueled with M30 (30% methanol in volume). The exhaust gas temperature is about 140uC higher at 200 s after operation compared with that of gasoline.