Simulation of Aldehyde Emissions from an Ethanol Fueled Spark Ignition Engine and Comparison with FTIR Measurements

This paper presents a mathematical model that calculates aldehyde emissions in the exhaust of a spark ignition engine fueled with ethanol. The numerical model for aldehyde emissions was developed using FORTRAN software, with the input data obtained from a dedicated engine cycle simulation software, AVL BOOST. The model calculates formaldehyde and acetaldehyde emissions, formed from the partial oxidation of methane, ethane and unburned ethanol. The calculated values were compared with experimental data obtained by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The experiments were performed with a mid-size sedan powered by a 1.4-liter spark ignition engine on a chassis dynamometer. In general, the results demonstrate that the concentrations of aldehydes and the source elements increased with engine speed and exhaust gas temperature. A reasonable agreement between simulated and measured values was achieved.