Cold start characteristics of an ethanol-fuelled engine with heated intake air and fuel

The conventional cold start system of flexible fuel engines introduces gasoline in the intake system when the vehicle is fuelled with hydrous ethanol or with high ethanol content gasoline-ethanol blends. The system is necessary to allow for ignition of the fuel-air mixture under low temperatures due to the high ethanol evaporation temperature, in comparison with gasoline. This works presents a new cold start system for flexible fuel engines with heating of intake air and ethanol injector. The removal of the gasoline reservoir for cold start is the main benefit of the new system, and it is an awaited evolution of flexible fuel engines. The experimental results demonstrate that the new system provides hydrous ethanol-fuelled engine start in less than 2 s under temperatures as low as 0 °C. ► Heated intake air and ethanol produces adequate cold start time. ► 300 W electric resistance was used to heat intake air. ► 150 W electric resistances were used in each ethanol injector. ► Cold start time of 1.7 s was obtained. ► Cold start time is 15% below acceptable standard for modern production vehicles.