Enhancing performance and reducing emissions of a spark ignition engine by adding dimethyl carbonate to gasoline

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, Easwari Engineering College, Chennai, India.

2 Department of Automobile Engineering, Velammal Engineering College, Chennai, India.

3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, India.

10.24200/sci.2024.61489.7337

Abstract

Various alternative fuels have previously been investigated in light of growing concerns about environmental pollution and fuel depletion. In this study, the effects of Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC) as an alternative oxygenate to gasoline on the performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics of an inline four-cylinder Spark Ignited (SI) engine are investigated. Adding DMC to gasoline produced a higher Research octane number and oxygen percentage. The study found that using DMC/gasoline blends increased Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and reduced unburned Hydrocarbons (HC) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions. Furthermore, a mixture containing 30% DMC presented the engine's best performance and emission characteristics compared to gasoline. At higher engine speed, 8.95% higher BTE, 16.94% lesser HC, and 18.75% lesser CO than gasoline. A higher level of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) is produced by DMC/gasoline blends when compared to gasoline. The combustion stability and heat release rate produced by DMC/gasoline blends were higher than gasoline.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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Volume 32, Issue 11
Transactions on Mechanical Engineering
May and June 2026 Article ID:7337
  • Receive Date: 22 November 2022
  • Revise Date: 27 January 2024
  • Accept Date: 18 May 2024