Alternative Fuel Butanol: Preliminary Investigation on Performance and Emissions of a Marine Two-Stroke Direct Fuel Injection Engine 2010-32-0054

In pursuit of reducing dependencies on foreign oil coupled with U.S. renewable fuel standards and an overall focus and interest in greenhouse gas emissions, investigations continue on feasibility of replacement biologically derived fuels such as ethanol and butanol. Majority of existing recreational products such as marine outboard engines, boats, personal watercraft, all terrain vehicles and snowmobiles are carbureted or operate open-loop, meaning the engine does not have the capability to sense air-fuel ratio. Ethanol has a specific energy content that is less than gasoline. Without means to compensate for air-fuel ratio requirements of specific fuels, open-loop engines may suffer from a condition known as enleanment, in which catastrophic engine failure may result.

On the contrary, butanol has specific energy content closer to that of gasoline, suggesting open-loop engines may be less prone to negative effects of increased biologically derived fuel concentrations in gasoline.

This is a preliminary investigation into the effects of butanol/gasoline mixtures on a two-stroke direct injection recreational marine outboard engine. Additionally, ethanol/gasoline mixtures are also tested as comparison. Engine performance, combustion characteristics and emission results including overall effects of various butanol/gasoline and ethanol/gasoline blends will be explored.