Air-Fuel Mixture Temperatures with Light and Heavy Fuels for Effective Spark Ignition Engine Work

Abstract

This research resulted from military interest in finding methods to provide distributed electricity generation in order to support comprehensive state defence measures. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a heated air-fuel mixture on the combustion process of a spark ignition (SI) engine, and to highlight the maximum temperatures to be applied to air-fuel mixtures with different fuel fractions in order to avoid any detonation of the fuel mixture in the engine. Tests were carried out with a petrol engine generator (GENSET) so that an investigation could be conducted into the effect of the air-fuel mixture on the engine’s combustion. It turned out that heating the air-fuel mixture permits the use of heavier fraction fuels than engine petrol in SI engines does, including diesel fuel and biodiesel fuel, and also that the use of heavy fraction fuels in SI engines is effective mainly under low and middle loads.