The Effect of Ethanol-Gasoline Blends on Thermal Balance of an SI Engine

The thermal balance of a four stroke,four-cylinder SI engine operating on ethanol -gasoline blends (0,5,10,15 and 20%)was established.The thermal balance was respect of useful work,heat lost through exhaust,heat lost to the cooling water and unaccounted losses (heat lost by lubricating oil and radiation).The results indicate that as the percentage of ethanol in the ethanol-gasoline blends increased,the percentage of useful work increased,while the other losses decreased as compared to neat gasoline fuel.The maximum useful work and minimum heat losses were obtained at 20%ethanol-gasoline blend (E20).It can be concluded that an ethanol-gasoline blend ratio of 20:80 is an optimum blend as far as thermal balance is concern leaving the other parameters intact.