Thermodynamic and economic analyses of a spark-ignition engine operating with bioethanol-gasoline blends

ABSTRACT

The problems associated with the use of fossil energy sources, as well as the constant rise in energy demand, have increased the importance of biofuels. In this study, the use of gasoline/bioethanol dual fuel blend as an alternative fuel in an SI engine was investigated by experiments and thermodynamic analysis. In experimental studies, performance and emission tests were performed at three different bioethanol ratios (10%-30%) at five different engine speeds (1200–1600 rpm). Thermodynamic and economic analyses were accomplished considering fuel consumption, torque, temperatures of cooling water and exhaust gases, and emissions obtained from these tests. Besides that, the sustainability index value of the fuel blends was taken into account. The augmentation of bioethanol fraction in the mixtures leads to a decline in thermal and exergy efficiencies. When the speed is 1600 rpm, the thermal and exergetic efficiencies of B0 fuel are 2.66% and 3.73% higher than those of B30 fuel, respectively. When the bioethanol concentration in the blends increased, the destroyed exergy increased. The exergy lost for G100, B10, B20, and B30 fuel blends were calculated as 6.822, 6.985, 6.908, and 7.017 respectively when the speed was adjusted to be 1200 rpm. The exergetic efficiency values for G100 and B30 at 1200 rpm were observed to be 36.82% and 35.39%, respectively. Based on the exergoeconomic analysis, the rise in the concentration of bioethanol in the blends increases the fuel cost rate, and accordingly, the unit cost of engine power exergy increases. The unit cost of engine power exergy in B30 fuel is approximately 50% higher than that of G100 fuel. The exergoeconomic factor was found to be 2.52 for G100, 1.893 for B10, 1.511 for B20, and 1.217 for B30 at the speed of 1200 rpm. The minimum sustainability index in all engine speeds in bioethanol fuel blends was calculated as 1.548.

KEYWORDS:

• Gasoline
• bioethanol
• exergy
• exergoeconomic
• sustainability index

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

There are no financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests

Notes on contributors

Battal Dogan

Battal Dogan received his BSc degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kırıkkale University in 2000, Turkey. He earned his MSc and PhD degrees at the same university. His main research interest is energy and exergy analyses in thermal systems. His research areas of interest include internal combustion engine, Stirling engine, alternative renewable fuels, heat transfer and compressors. He is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Energy Systems Engineering of Gazi University. He has published over 50 research papers in international and national journals/conferences.

Zeki Yilbasi

Zeki Yilbasi is an assistant professor at the Department of Automotive Technology, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey. He received his first BSc education at Bülent Ecevit University, Faculty of Technical Education, Department of Automotive Teaching, Karabük, Turkey, and his second BSc education at Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yozgat, Turkey. He received his PhD in mechanical engineering from Yozgat Bozok University in 2022. The primary focus of his study is in the field of internal combustion engines, with a particular emphasis on alternative fuels, combustion processes, and the analysis of energy and exergy in thermal systems. The individual in question has authored over ten scholarly articles that have been published in both international and national publications and conferences. Additionally, he has participated as a Researcher in various scientific research studies that have been completed and are still ongoing.

Hayri Yaman

Hayri Yaman received his BSc in the Automotive Technology Department, Faculty of Technical Education, Gazi University in 1990, Turkey. He earned MSc degree in Science and Technology Department of Mechanical Education, Zonguldak Karaelmas University in 2004. He earned PhD degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kırıkkale University in 2013. His research interest includes internal combustion engine, Stirling engine, rocket engine, renewable fuels, rocket propellants, heat transfer, and exergy analysis. He works as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Motor Vehicles and Transport Technologies of Kırıkkale University. He has published more than 30 research papers in international and national journals/conferences. He has also done many scientific research projects.

Murat Kadir Yesilyurt

Murat Kadir Yesilyurt is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey. He received his BSc degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey in 2011. He received his MSc and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Kırıkkale University in 2013 and Bozok University in 2017, respectively. His main research interest includes internal combustion engines, alternative fuels, combustion, energy, and exergy analyses in thermal systems. He has published over 60 scientific papers in international and national journals/conferences. He has also done many scientific research projects.