Comparison of the Operating Parameters of an Internal Combustion Engine During Cold Start, by Applying Two Ecuadorian Fuels of Different Octane Numbers

Abstract

The cold start of internal combustion engines is considered a critical stage for the engine operation, due to increased adhesive wear of internal components and high emission of polluting gases. Engine behavior during this stage can be visualized by evolving its operating parameters, such as: RPM, intake manifold pressure, mass air flow (MAF), engine coolant temperature, catalyst temperature and exhaust gas temperature. However, there may be a slight variability between the values of each parameter depending on the type of fuel being used. This study compares the operating parameters of an internal combustion engine during the cold start stage, using Ecuadorian fuels with octane number 87 and 92 (RON87 and RON92). The collection of exhaust gas temperature data was carried out using a DHT22 temperature sensor connected to an ESP32 module and recorded in ThingSpeak. For the acquisition of the data of the remaining parameters, an ELM327 scanner connected to the OBD II port of the vehicle was used. This information was sent via bluetooth to the OBD app on a smartphone. The results showed that the RON87 fuel has greater calorific power, resulting in increased wear on the engine's internal components, but allows it to reach normal operating temperature sooner.