Experimental investigation on the combustion and particulate matter (PM) emissions from a port-fuel injection (PFI) gasoline engine fueled with methanol-ultralow sulfur gasoline blends

In this work, three different ratios of methanol-ultralow sulfur gasoline blends, 0%, 15% and 45% of methanol in volume respectively for M0, M15 and M45, were tested on an electronically controlled multi-point port injection gasoline engine in National Grade IV standard. DMS 500SKII fast particulate spectrometer was used to measure the particulate mass and number concentrations and size distributions. The effect of methanol on the cylinder gas pressure and heat release rate was investigated based on the urban-speed mode at low and high engine load. Moreover, the particulate mass and number concentrations and size distribution were also measured based on the same test cycle for all testing fuels. In addition, the comparison of particulate number concentration in the nucleation mode and accumulation mode was evaluated from low to high engine loads. The experimental results show that the cylinder gas pressure and heat release rate increased significantly and occurred earlier by the use of methanol fuel. Particulate number and mass concentration decreased in low proportion methanol-gasoline while increased significantly in high proportion methanol-gasoline. For each testing fuel, the particulate number concentration in nucleation increased with the increase of engine load, while the number of particles in accumulation decreased from low to high vehicle loads. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.