Performance of copper coated two stroke spark ignition engine with methanol-blended gasoline with catalytic converter

This paper reports performance evaluation of two-stroke, single cylinder spark ignition (SI) engine with methanol blended gasoline (80% gasoline, 20% methanol by volume) having copper coated engine (CCE) [copper (thickness, 300 mu m) coated on piston crown, and inner side of cylinder head] provided with catalytic converter with sponge iron as catalyst and compared with conventional SI engine with gasoline operation. Brake thermal efficiency increased with methanol blended gasoline with both versions of the engine. CCE showed improved performance when compared to conventional engine (CE) with both test fuels. Catalytic converter with air injection significantly reduced pollutants with both test fuels on both configurations of the engine. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3664743]