An Investigation of Performance Characteristics of A Biogas-Fueled Motorcycle Engine

Abstract>> To determine the performance characteristics of motorcycle engine using biogas for practical use, the intake system of a 110 cc motorcycle engine is properly modified to operate with biogas as a fuel. Biogas is a potentially renewable fuel for replacing gasoline in future, but it has high percentage of CO2 that could lead to slow the burning rate of biogas-air mixture and cause instability in combustion. Thus, the performance characteristics of biogas-fueled motorcycle engines could be different from those of gasoline motorcycle engines. In this paper, the important parameters of performance characteristics (such as: power output, thermal efficiency, fuel consumption, exhaust emission,…) of biogas-fueled motorcycle engine are studied and estimated with change of engine speed and load. The obtained results when operating with biogas are used to compare with that of gasoline fuel under the same operating conditions. Engine speed in the experimental is changed from 1500 rpm (idle-mode) up to 3500 rpm by a step of 500 rpm. Engine load is changed from zero to maximum load with the help of an exciting voltage device from generator-type dynamometer. The experimental results show that the tested engine operated with richer biogas-air mixture than that of gasoline-air mixture under the same test conditions. Biogas-fueled engine gives a higher fuel consumption and lower thermal efficiency under the same power output. Brake thermal efficiency of biogas engine is found to be about 3 % lower than gasoline-fueled motorcycle engine for whole range of speed. Exhaust emission of biogas-fueled motorcycl