CONTROL OF EXHAUST EMISSIONS FROM AN SI ENGINE WITH METALLIC (COPPER) COATING, FUEL BLEND AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER

As the fossil fuels are fastly depleting and the pollution levels are increasing with their use, necessitating the search for alternate fuels. Alcohol is a potential and renewable fuel for SI engine, because its properties are compatible to those of gasoline fuels. Aldehydes, with their carcinogenic nature are one of the major pollutants, when SI engines are run with alcohols. As these pollutants poses serious health hazards for human beings and causes environmental pollution, their reduction assumed importance. This paper reported the exhaust emissions and their control from a single cylinder, air-cooled, Bajaj make, two-stroke SI engine, with a brake power of 2.2 kW at a rated speed of 3000 rpm with a compression ratio of 7.5:1. The exhaust emissions of CO and UBHC were determined with Netel Chromatograph CO/UBHC analyzer. Aldehyde levels were determined by DNPH method. The test fuels are pure gasoline and methanol blended gasoline (80% gasoline and 20% methanol, by volume). The crown surface of piston and inside surface of the cylinder head were coated with copper for a thickness of 300 microns. A catalytic converter with air injection with sponge iron (SPI)/manganese (Mn) ore as catalyst was provided to the engine. In comparison with the conventional engine (CE) with experimental fuels, the performance of catalytically activated engine was found to be improved. Air injection in to catalytic converter significantly decreased the exhaust emissions with sponge iron (SPI) as catalyst over manganese (Mn) ore.