Research Projects

India's large population generates a significant amount of waste biomass, including agricultural residues, kitchen wastes, plant and animal wastes, and municipal solid waste. Bio-alcohols, such as methanol, can be produced from these renewable biomass resources through gasification and low-grade high ash coal and atmospheric CO2. Methanol can be used as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels in transport, agriculture, and decentralized power generation sectors. Although methanol utilisation has not started on a large scale in India, it is a promising alternative fuel for gasoline engines, potentially contributing to India's transport sector and making it sustainable. This project aims to develop a methanol-fueled engine/vehicle prototype with similar drivability as a gasoline-fueled engine. The main challenges will be finding optimum fuel injection parameters for superior combustion and emissions characteristics. Macroscopic and microscopic spray investigations will be conducted to investigate the suitability of the engine for port fuel injection (PFI) engines typically used in four-wheelers. Engine performance will be evaluated using various parameters, including brake thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumption, and exhaust gas temperature. Regulated emission species such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, unburnt hydrocarbons, particulate matter, and unregulated emission species will be measured at varying load and speed conditions of the engine.