The Performance of a Spark Ignition Engine using 92 RON Gasoline with Varying Blends of Bioethanol (E40, E50, E60) Measured using a Dynamometer Test

Indonesia’s increasing energy dependence on fossil fuels amid the country’s declining petroleum reserves requires the development of an effective solution in the form of renewable fuels such as fuel-grade bioethanol. This study investigated a potential way of reducing dependence on fossil fuels for motorcycle engines by using fuel-grade bioethanol blended with gasoline to produce a novel marketable fuel type. The present paper focuses on the effect of various fuel blends >40% ethanol on the performance of a spark ignition (SI) engine. This study used a standard, off-the-shelf, 150cc SI engine as the test engine, running on RON 92 gasoline with varying mixtures of bioethanol (40% (E40); 50% (E50); and 60% (E60)), connected to a dynamometer to obtain performance data (torque, power, and specific fuel consumption) and emission data (hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide). The results showed that E60 represented the optimum mixture as it produced the highest torque, power and specific fuel consumption optimum used E50.