Cold Starting an Alcohol-Fueled Engine with Ultrasonic Fuel Atomization

摘要

A test program was devised at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory to evaluate a Tonen ultrasonic fuel atomizer system on a Honda B20 engine using both M85 (85% methanol, 15% hydrocarbons) and M100 (neat methanol) fuels to determine whether cold starting a premixed-charge port injected engine on alcohol fuels at low ambient temperatures can be improved. Modification to the engine's intake manifold was performed at the Japanese Automotive Research Institute (JARI) in cooperation with the New Energy Development Organization (NEDO) to install heated injectors in close proximity to the ultrasonic atomizers. The engine is also equipped with the stock port injector system intact and functional. Successful M100 cold starts were obtained down to 20 deg F (-7 deg C).