Gas emissions and engine behavior when gasoline-alcohol mixtures are used.

This paper deals with the use of gasoline-methanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures in a small four-stroke engine of internal combustion that is used for the movement of a small alternative generator. It was observed that CO and HC emissions decrease compared to gasoline when the percentage of methanol, ethanol in the fuel was increased, under different load conditions (without load conditions and under full electrical load conditions). The use of gasoline-methanol mixtures showed a higher decrease of emissions. When the mixtures of gasoline-70%methanol and gasoline-90%ethanol and 100%ethanol for which the engine malfunctioned, the rpm of the engine were not constant and the emissions were increased. It is also important that (with the existing regulation of the fuel/air ratio that refers to gasoline) the engine functioned for the case of gasoline-methanol mixtures up to a concentration of -70%methanol mixture, while for the case of gasoline-ethanol mixtures until the use of 100%ethanol. Furthermore, during the use of the mixtures of gasoline-methanol and gasoline-ethanol there was a small increase of fuel consumption when the percentage of the methanol or ethanol in the fuel was increased.