INVESTIGATIONS ON EXHAUST EMISSIONS FROM COPPER COATED SPARK IGNITION ENGINE WITH GASOLINE BLENDED ALCOHOLS

Investigations were carried out to control the exhaust emissions from four─ stroke, variable speed, variable compression ratio, single -cylinder, spark ignition (SI) engine, with test fuels of butanol blended gasoline (80% gasoline and 20% butanol by volume) and ethanol blended gasoline (gasohol) (80% gasoline blended with 20% ethanol) having copper coated combustion chamber [CCCC, copper-(thickness, 300 μ) coated on piston crown, inner side of cylinder head and on liner] provided with catalytic converter with copper as catalyst and compared with conventional SI engine (CE) with neat gasoline operation. Aldehydes were measured by wet chemical method. Exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and un-burnt hydrocarbon (UBHC) were evaluated at different values of brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) of the engine. Aldehydes were evaluated at full load operation of the engine. A microprocessor-based analyzer was used for the measurement of CO/UBHC in the exhaust of the engine. Copper coated combustion chamber with gasohol considerably reduced pollutants in comparison with CE with pure gasoline operation. Catalytic converter with air injection significantly reduced pollutants with test fuels on both configurations of the engine. The catalyst, copper reduced the pollutants effectively with both test fuels in both versions of the engine