Mixing Fuels for Cleaner Engines: A New Approach

People are looking for ways to make engines work better and pollute less. One idea is to use two different fuels at the same time. This is called RCCI, or Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition. It uses a mix of fuels with different properties to burn more efficiently and produce fewer harmful gases. In a recent study, researchers tested this idea using a special engine. They used a mix of n-butanol and gasoline as one fuel, and a biodiesel blend as the other. The engine was modified to handle these fuels in a specific way. The n-butanol and gasoline mix was injected into the engine's intake port, while the biodiesel blend was injected directly into the cylinder. The team tried different mixes of these fuels. They found that one mix, called B20+G50n-b50, worked the best. It produced the highest pressure inside the engine's cylinder and the most power. However, it also produced more of some harmful gases, like carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Another mix, B20+G25n-b75, did a better job at reducing harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. But it also produced more carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. The team concluded that the RCCI method can help reduce emissions, but the exact mix of fuels needs to be carefully chosen. This study shows that using renewable and oxygenated fuels in RCCI engines can be a promising way to make engines cleaner and more efficient. It also shows that more research is needed to find the best fuel mixes for different engine conditions.