Effects of Methyl Acetate as Oxygenated Fuel Blending on Performance and Emissions of SI Engine

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the use of methyl acetate as oxygenated fuel blending for base gasoline in SI engine. The effects of methyl acetate on engine performance parameters (brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency and energy consumption rate) and exhaust emissions (CO, HC, CO2 and NOx) of SI engine have been experimentally investigated. Engine experiments were conducted on a single cylinder, water cooled, spark-ignition test engine at constant moderate speed; 1500 rpm for different loads; 104, 207, 311 and 414 kPa fuelling the engine with base gasoline, M5 (95 % base gasoline + 5 % methyl acetate) and M10 (90 % base gasoline + 10 % methyl acetate). The results showed that adding methyl acetate to base gasoline increases the brake specific fuel consumption while reducing the brake thermal efficiency of the engine. Furthermore, it was also observed that methyl acetate addition does not have a great effect on HC emissions, however, reduces CO and increases CO2 emissions. NOx results showed a striking increase in the level of NOx emissions with the addition of methyl acetate.