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1533866 
Journal Article 
Hydrous ethanol-gasoline blends - Combustion and emission investigations on a Flex-Fuel engine 
Cordeiro de Melo, TC; Machado, GB; Belchior, CRP; Colaco, MJ; Barros, JEM; de Oliveira, EJ; de Oliveira, DG 
2012 
1 
Fuel
ISSN: 0016-2361
EISSN: 1873-7153 
97 
796-804 
WOS:000303979400089 
Flex-Fuel vehicles, launched in the Brazilian market in
2003, operate with gasoline blended with anhydrous ethanol (18-25% vol/vol), 100% hydrous ethanol
(4.0-4.9% vol/vol of water) or any blend of these fuels. Dynamometer tests were conducted on a
1.4 L, Flex-Fuel Otto engine. Gasoline with 25% vol/vol of anhydrous ethanol was blended with
different ratios of hydrous ethanol. A programmable engine control unit was used to manage engine
operation and spark timing calibration for maximum break torque at different speeds and torques.
Combustion characteristics, such as mass fraction burned, heat release rate and combustion
duration were calculated based on in-cylinder pressure curve data, measured by a special data
acquisition system. Emissions of THC, NOX, CO, CO2, unburned ethanol and aldehydes were measured
by a Fourier transform infrared analyzer. Hydrous ethanol addition reduced CO and THC, but
increased CO2, aldehydes and unburned ethanol emissions. NOX results presented complex trends
with ethanol addition, depending on the operating condition, spark advance timing and other
parameters. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 
Flex-Fuel; Gasoline; Ethanol; Engine test; Combustion