Ethanol
as an engine fuel emits less pollutants than gasoline, is a completely
renewable product with good ecological implications, and has the potential
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, ethanol–gasoline
blends present a multitude of technical challenges to engine operation,
including the creation of adverse engine deposits, especially on inlet
valves and injector tips. Special detergent–dispersant additives
in ethanol–gasoline blends are the most effective way of bypassing
these technical challenges. In the present work, two detergent–dispersant
additives, developed by the Oil and Gas Institute, National Research
Institute, were used and investigated on a flex-fuel direct-injection
vehicle with ethanol–gasoline blend fuels containing 10 and
85% ethanol with special consideration of nanoparticle and non-legislated
gaseous emissions. These researchers, among others, stated that, at
cold start, particle count emissions are significantly reduced with
ethanol blend fuels under all operating conditions. The detergent
additives used in this investigation have no influence on gaseous
and nanoparticle emissions.