2Cukurova University, Automotive Engineering, ADANA
Abstract
Following rapid depletion of fossil fuels and growing efficiency concerns enforce researchers to enhance combustion quality and find alternative fuels for SI engines. For this purpose, various spark plugs are available in the market with different electrode materials. However, they have not been tested together with different engine parameters. In this work, a variable compression ratio (VCR) spark-ignited engine equipped with different spark plugs (conventional, iridium and platinum) tested to determine performance values of brake power and brake specific fuel consumption. Effects of hydrogen enrichment (0%, 2% and 4% by volume fraction) and VCR (8.5:1 and 10:1) were applied to the engine at engine speeds of 1200, 1500 and 1800 rpm during experiments. The results revealed that higher performance values attained with iridium and platinum spark plugs comparing with the conventional spark plug at all hydrogen fractions, engine speeds and compression ratios. Besides that platinum spark plug increased the performance of the test engine more than iridium one.