Experimental investigation on banana root-derived bioethanol for spark-ignition engine applications: Performance and emission characteristics

This study presents an experimental investigation on the production of bioethanol from banana root waste and its utilization as a renewable fuel in a spark-ignition engine. Banana root powder was subjected to acid hydrolysis followed by fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce bioethanol, which was subsequently distilled and blended with gasoline in proportions from E10 to E50. The physicochemical properties of the blends were evaluated, and engine tests were conducted on a four-stroke, single-cylinder spark-ignition engine over a speed range of 1500–3000 rpm under partial and full-throttle conditions. Engine performance parameters, including brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption, along with exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen, were analyzed. The results indicate that higher ethanol fractions from E40 to E50 achieved the highest brake thermal efficiency and the lowest carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. The findings demonstrate that banana root is a viable lignocellulosic feedstock for sustainable bioethanol production and spark-ignition engine applications.