Alternative Fuels in Spark Ignition Engines
I am currently conducting research on the use of alternative fuels in spark ignition (SI) engines. More specifically, I am looking at accurately
describing the size distribution associated with engine particulate emissions. The Clean Air Act of 1990 required the use of oxygenated fuels
in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Currently Methyl tert-butylether (MTBE) is used as a fuel oxygenate, but MTBE has been found in the
groundwater supply of several cities and is difficult to remediate. Ethanol (EtOH) is a popular replacement from MTBE. But mixtures of EtOH and
gasoline (gasohol) can not be transported through pipelines due to their relatively high affinity for water which tends to corrode pipelines. Butanol (BuOH) is seen as a an attractive alternative to EtOH due to its lower affinity for water and its higher heat of combustion which results in superior fuel economy relative to gasohol.