The development of new technologies and methods to reduce pollutant emissions is a key focus of the Brazilian federal program ROTA 2030, enabling the synergy between industry and academia to advance and innovate the automotive sector. Applied research in internal combustion engines specifically aims to address the needs of the Brazilian domestic market by promoting the employment of biofuels and enhancing energy efficiency. The integration of a reformer catalyst into the engine is strategic for elevating efficiency standards and for benefiting the current structure of the Brazilian fuel supply. This catalyst transforms ethanol and water into hydrogen and byproducts, which become a proportion with the fresh charge into the engine intake. This process enhances fuel conversion efficiency through chemically enhanced combustion progress. Additionally, the required driving energy of the catalyst reactions and the ideal working temperature are sourced from the residual enthalpy of the exhaust engine gases, thus increasing the exergy of the system. Computer simulations using the AVL CFD software were conducted to predict exhaust gas temperatures and thermodynamic availability under regular engine load variations. The powertrain model includes a detailed arrangement, including a total thermal transient engine, rotational mechanical driveline, resistance forces, control, automation, and a predictive flame kernel combustion model running on the FTP75 cycle. To refine the combustion model, prior simulations with ANSYS CHEMKIN were performed to obtain the laminar flame speeds of the mixtures. The simulation results guided the scaling of the prototype, aiming to achieve a 10% reduction in brake-specific fuel consumption. The present study was supported by FUNDEP – Program ROTA 2030, with process grant #201798*08.
