Experiments were conducted to evaluate and control the exhaust emissions from two stroke single cylinder, spark ignition (SI) engine, with alcohol blended gasoline (80% gasoline, 20% methanol, by volume) having copper coated engine [CCE, copper-(thickness, 300 μ) coated on inner surface of the cylinder head] provided with catalytic converter with sponge iron and manganese ore as as catalysts and compared with conventional SI engine (CE) with pure gasoline operation

1. http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 132 editor@iaeme.com
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)
Volume 6, Issue 6, June 2015, pp. 132-138, Article ID: IJMET_06_06_013
Available online at
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=6&IType=6
Journal Impact Factor (2015): 8.8293 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359
© IAEME Publication
CONTROL OF POLLUTANTS WITH
CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND COPPER
COATED CYLINDER HEAD IN
METHANOL- GASOLINE BLEND
OPERATED TWO STROKE SI ENGINE
Dr. K. Kishor
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department,
CBIT, Hyderabad, India
ABSTRACT
Experiments were conducted to evaluate and control the exhaust emissions
from two stroke single cylinder, spark ignition (SI) engine, with alcohol
blended gasoline (80% gasoline, 20% methanol, by volume) having copper
coated engine [CCE, copper-(thickness, 300 μ) coated on inner surface of the
cylinder head] provided with catalytic converter with sponge iron and
manganese ore as as catalysts and compared with conventional SI engine
(CE) with pure gasoline operation. The exhaust emissions of Carbon
Monoxide (CO) and Unburnt Hydrocarbons (UBHC) were determined at
different values of Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) with Netel
Chromatograph CO/UBHC analyzer. Aldehyde levels were determined by
Dinitrophenyl Hydrazine (DNPH) method. Copper coated combustion
chamber with alcohol blended gasoline with catalytic converter using sponge
iron catalyst with air injection significantly reduced the pollutants in
comparison with CE with pure gasoline operation.
Key words: Aldehydes, CO, DNPH, Exhaust emissions, UBHC
Cite this Article: Dr. K. Kishor. Control of Pollutants with Catalytic
Converter and Copper Coated Cylinder Head In Methanol- Gasoline Blend
Operated Two Stroke Si Engine, International Journal of Mechanical
Engineering and Technology, 6(6), 2015, pp. 132-138.
http://www.iaeme.com/currentissue.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=6&IType=6
1. INTRODUCTION
The paper is divided into i) Introduction, ii) Materials and methods, iii) Results and
discussion, iv) Conclusions, research findings, future scope of work followed by
references.

2. Control of Pollutants with Catalytic Converter and Copper Coated Cylinder Head In
Methanol- Gasoline Blend Operated Two Stroke Si Engine
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 133 editor@iaeme.com
Alcohols are the promising substitutes for the base fuel (gasoline) being used in SI
engines, as their properties are compatible to those of gasoline fuels. The use of
alcohol in small quantities poses no problem in SI engines. Performance of the engine
can also be improved with the change of fuel composition with alcohol-gasoline
blends in SI engines. Out of the two alcohols available (methyl alcohol and ethyl
alcohol), methyl alcohol is preferred to ethyl alcohol, as it is not harmful. Methyl
alcohol has got properties compatible to those of gasoline and its octane rating is more
than 100. Also, methyl alcohol can be manufactured even from the municipal solid
wastes. When SI engines are run with alcohols, the major emissions are CO and
UBHC, besides aldehydes. As the exhaust emissions of CO (%), UBHC (ppm) and
aldehydes (% concentration) cause harmful health hazards on human beings and on
environment, necessary steps are to be taken in the form of changing the fuel
composition or engine design modification or both, to decrease them. Coupling
catalytic converter to the engine is a simple technique to decrease the exhaust
emissions from the engine. Catalytic converters are to be provided with suitable and
cheap catalysts like sponge iron and manganese ore, to reduce the exhaust emissions.
Murali Krishna et al. [1] conducted experiments for controlling the pollutants
from an engine [2]. The engine parameters have substantial effects in reducing the
emissions. Injection of heated air in to the catalytic converter has drastically reduced
the emissions. Methyl alcohol blend in catalytically activated engine decreased the
pollutants in comparison with the base engine.
In this work, experiments were conducted on a single cylinder, air-cooled, Bajaj
make, two-stroke SI engine, with a brake power of 2.2 kW at a rated speed of 3000
rpm with a compression ratio of 7.5:1 with base fuel (gasoline) and methyl alcohol
blend (gasoline-80%, methanol- 20% by volume), for various configurations of the
engine such as base engine (CE) and catalytically activated engine (CCE, inner
surface of the cylinder head being coated with copper) and being provided with
catalytic converter along with air injection employing sponge iron (SPI)/manganese
(Mn) ore catalyst and the experimental results were compared with the base engine.
Exhaust emissions of CO, UBHC aldehydes (formaldehydes and acetaldehydes) were
controlled by catalytic converter with sponge iron as catalyst.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
This section deals with fabrication of copper coated engine (CCE, inner surface of the
cylinder head being coated with copper), description of experimental set up
employing catalytic converter using sponge iron/manganese ore catalysts.
In the copper coated engine, by flame spraying technique, a high thermal
conductive catalytic material like copper was coated on the inner surface of cylinder
head. A bond coating of nickel-cobalt-chromium was sprayed for a thickness of 100µ.
On this coating, an alloy of copper (89.5%), aluminium (9.5%) and iron (1%) was
coated for 300µ thickness, with a METCO flame spray gun. Dhandapani et al. [3, 4]
conducted experiments on copper coated SI engine with gasoline as fuel and life test
was carried out for 50 hours. During these 50 hours, wear and tear was not reported
from the engine.

3. Dr. K. Kishor
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 134 editor@iaeme.com
Plate-1 shows the photographic view of copper coated cylinder head.
Plate 1 Photographic view of copper coated cylinder head
Figure 1 shows the schematic diagram of the experimental set up that was
employed to analyze the exhaust emissions from the engine.
1. Engine, 2. Electrical swinging field dynamometer, 3. Loading arrangement, 4.
Fuel tank, 5. Torque indicator/controller sensor, 6. Fuel rate indicator sensor, 7. Hot
wire gas flow indicator, 8. Multi- channel temperature indicator, 9. Speed indicator,
10. Air flow indicator, 11. Exhaust gas temperature indicator, 12. Mains ON 13.
Engine ON/OFF switch, 14. Mains OFF, 15. Motor/Generator option switch, 16.
Heater controller, 17. Speed indicator, 18. Directional valve, 19. Air compressor, 20.
Rotometer, 21. Heater, 22. Air chamber, 23. Catalytic chamber, 24. CO/HC analyzer,
25. Filter, 26. Round bottom flasks containing DNPH solution
Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the experimental set up
An air-cooled single-cylinder 2.2 kW BP two-stroke SI engine with a rated speed
of 3000 rpm was provided with an electrical swinging field dynamometer for the
measurement of brake power (BP). CO and UBHC emissions in engine exhaust were
measured with Netel Chromatograph analyzer. Aldehyde emissions (formaldehydes
and acetaldehydes) are measured with wet chemical (DNPH) method [5]. A catalytic
converter [6] (Figure.2) is fitted to exhaust pipe of engine [7]. Provision is also made
to inject a definite quantity of air into catalytic converter. Air quantity drawn from
compressor and injected into converter is kept constant so that backpressure does not
increase. Aluminium was coated at the inner surface of catalytic converter for a
thickness of 500 microns and was superior to existing one in order to reduce the

4. Control of Pollutants with Catalytic Converter and Copper Coated Cylinder Head In
Methanol- Gasoline Blend Operated Two Stroke Si Engine
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 135 editor@iaeme.com
pollutants effectively. The catalytic converter was tested with a number of catalysts
and out of which Sponge Iron and Manganese ore were proved to be effective in
reducing the pollutants. Hence they were selected as catalysts and the performance of
one catalyst was compared with the performance of other catalyst.
Note: All dimensions are in mm
Air chamber, 2. Inlet for air chamber from engine, 3. Inlet for air chamber from
compressor, 4. Outlet for air chamber, 5. Catalytic chamber, 6. Outer cylinder, 7.
Intermediate-cylinder, 8. Inner-cylinder, 9. Inner sheet, 10. Intermediate sheet, 11.
Outer sheet, 12. Outlet for exhaust gases, 13. Provision to deposit the catalyst, and,
14. Insulation.
Figure 2 Details of Catalytic converter
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This section deals with i). Variation of CO emissions with BMEP, ii) variation of
UBHC emissions with BMEP, and iii) data of Aldehyde emissions (Formaldehydes
and Acetaldehydes).
3.1. Exhaust Emissions
Provision of catalytic converter and different operating conditions of catalytic
converter are, Set-A: Without catalytic converter and without air injection;
Set-B: With catalytic converter and without air injection; and
Set-C: With catalytic converter and with air injection.
The data of CO emissions {magnitude and the % deviation over the base condition
(base engine-base fuel-set-A – SPI catalyst)} from the base engine and catalytic
coated engine (copper coated cylinder head) using experimental fuels under various
sets of catalytic converter with SPI (Sponge Iron) / Mn (Manganese) ore catalyst was
presented in the TABLE.1.

5. Dr. K. Kishor
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TABLE 1 Data of CO emissions (%) at full load operation and the % deviation over base
condition operation
Engine version→ Base engine Catalytic coated engine
Fuel used→ Base fuel
Methyl alcohol
blend
Base fuel
Methyl alcohol
blend
Catalyst→
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
oreConditions↓
Set-A
Magnitude 5.5 5.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 4.5 2.8 2.8
% deviation -- -- - 36.3% - 36.3% -18.1% -18.1% -49.1% -49.1 %
Set-B
Magnitude 3.3 4.4 2.1 2.45 2.7 3.6 1.68 2.24
% deviation -40% -20% - 61.8% - 55.5% -50.9% -34.5% -69.5% -59.3 %
Set-C
Magnitude 2.2 3.3 1.4 1.75 1.8 2.7 1.12 1.68
% deviation -60% -40% - 74.5% - 68.2% -67.2% -50.9% -79.6% -69.4 %
Table-1 indicated that, CCE was more effective in reducing the pollutants in
comparison with the base engine with both catalysts, as good combustion is achieved
due to turbulence with copper coating. Air injection further reduced the pollutants due
to oxidation reactions in both the engine versions. SPI catalyst was found to be more
effective in reducing the CO emissions in comparison with Mn ore for both engine
versions using experimental fuels. Methyl alcohol blend in CCE reduced the CO
emissions with the use of sponge iron catalyst and that with air injection in to the
catalytic converter, CO emissions were decreased further.
The data of UBHC emissions {magnitude and the % deviation over the base
condition (base engine-base fuel-set-A – SPI catalyst)} from the base engine and
catalytic coated engine (copper coated cylinder head) using experimental fuels under
various sets of catalytic converter with SPI (Sponge Iron) / Mn (Manganese) ore
catalyst was presented in the TABLE.2.
TABLE 2 Data of UBHC emissions (PPM) at full load operation and the % deviation over
CE
Engine version→ Base engine Catalytic coated engine
Fuel used→ Base fuel Methanol blend Base fuel Methanol blend
Catalyst→
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
ore
SPI
Mn
oreConditions↓
Set-A
Magnitude 760 760 540 540 620 620 430 430
% deviation -- -- - 28.9% - 28.9% -18.4% -18.4% -43.4% -43.4%
Set-B
Magnitude 456 608 324 432 372 496 258 344
% deviation -40% -20% -57.3% -43.1% -51% -34.7% - 66% - 54%
Set-C
Magnitude 304 456 216 324 248 372 172 258
% deviation -60% -40% - 71.5% - 57.3% -67.3% -51% -77.3% -66 %
It was seen in the TABLE.2 that, UBHC emissions followed the similar trends
that were observed with CO emissions. However, UBHC emissions depends on
quenching area (accumulation of fuel in crevices), while CO emissions depend on

6. Control of Pollutants with Catalytic Converter and Copper Coated Cylinder Head In
Methanol- Gasoline Blend Operated Two Stroke Si Engine
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 137 editor@iaeme.com
incomplete combustion. There may be quantitative difference between these two, but
qualitatively their behavior is the same. Methyl alcohol blend reduced the UBHC
emissions with the use of sponge iron catalyst and that with air injection in to the
catalytic converter, UBHC emissions were decreased further.
TABLE.3 shows the data of Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde emissions.
TABLE 3 Data of aldehyde emissions (% concentration) at full load and the % deviation over
CE
Aldehyde
emissions
Cataly
st
Test fuel→ Base fuel Methyl alcohol blend
Engine
CE CCE
% variation of
CCE over CE
CE CCE
% variation
of CCE over
CECondition
Formaldehyde
emissions
Sponge
iron
Set-A 10 7.4 - 26% 25.9 15.1 - 41.7%
Set-B 6.9 4.4 - 36.2% 11.6 11.3 - 2.6%
Set-C 3.8 3.4 - 10.5% 8.8 6.1 - 30.6%
Mn
ore
Set-A 10 7.4 - 26% 25.9 15.1 - 41.7%
Set-B 9 6.3 - 30% 13.8 13.2 - 4.3%
Set-C 6.1 5.4 - 11.5% 11 7.9 - 28.2%
Acetaldehyde
emissions
Sponge
iron
Set-A 8.4 5.1 - 39.3 % 13.5 10.3 - 23.7 %
Set-B 5.3 3.6 - 32 % 8.4 7.1 - 15.5 %
Set-C 2.3 1.4 - 39.1 % 4.3 3.4 - 20.9 %
Mn
ore
Set-A 8.4 5.1 - 39.3 % 13.5 10.3 - 23.7 %
Set-B 7.8 5.5 - 29.5 % 10.4 9.4 - 9.6 %
Set-C 4.6 3.2 - 30.4 % 6.1 5.3 - 13.1 %
From the TABLE.3 it was observed that, with the provision of catalytic converter
coupled with injection of air, both the aldehyde emissions were decreased. CCE
decreased both aldehyde emissions in comparison with the base engine using the
experimental fuels. This was due to improved combustion so that there was no
formation of incomplete combustion products. Sponge iron catalyst effectively
reduced both the aldehyde emissions over Mn ore for both engine configurations
using experimental fuels. Hence CCE with Sponge iron catalyst along with air
injection in to catalytic converter was more suitable in reducing both the aldehyde
4. CONCLUSIONS
1. Catalytic coated engine with methyl alcohol blend and sponge iron catalyst decreased
the CO emissions and UBHC emissions by 69.5% and 66% respectively without air
injection, while the emissions were decreased by 79.6% and 77.3% respectively with
air injection in comparison with the base engine.
2. With methyl alcohol blend and manganese ore catalyst, catalytic coated engine
decreased the CO emissions and UBHC emissions by 59.3% and 54% respectively
without air injection, while they were decreased by 69.4% and 66% respectively with
air injection, in comparison with the base engine operation.
3. Formaldehyde emissions and acetaldehyde emissions, from the base engine and
catalytic coated engine using both experimental fuels, were decreased with injection
of air in to catalytic converter.
4. Sponge iron catalyst was more effective in reducing exhaust emissions in comparison
with manganese ore for both configurations of the engine using experimental fuels.

7. Dr. K. Kishor
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 138 editor@iaeme.com
4.1. Research findings and future scope of work
The control of exhaust emissions with copper coating on the inner surface of cylinder
head with catalytic converter employing catalysts was systematically investigated.
Copper coating can also be done on the top surface of piston crown in addition to the
inner surface of cylinder head to decrease the pollutants further.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors thank authorities of Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
for facilities provided. Financial assistance from Andhra Pradesh Council of Science
and Technology (APCOST), Hyderabad, is greatly acknowledged. Authors sincerely
thank authorities of M/S Sai Surface Coating (P) Limited, Patancheru, Hyderabad, for
extending the cooperation in coating the components of the SI engine.
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