The United Nations sustainable development goals can be met by
reduced use of fossil fuels in the power & transportation
sector and by protecting the environment. Various efforts to
utilize alternative fuels (with low or without carbon contents) in
the transportation sector are in the anvil. In this research, an
experimental study is performed on a single cylinder gasoline
engine of 200 cc with port fuel injection and digital three spark
ignition (DTSI). The effect of spark plug location is analyzed
using gasoline and hydrogen fuels separately. The combustion,
performance, and emissions characteristics are analyzed at 4000
rpm, WOT (Wide Open Throttle) condition with a compression ratio of
11:1 for three different spark plug locations, i.e., at Center,
Left-hand side and Right-hand side of combustion bowl. The
following are the best results for a centrally located spark plug
in comparison with the spark plug located at the sides. The
volumetric efficiency is increased by 3.6% and 10 % when tested
with gasoline and hydrogen fuel; the maximum brake thermal
efficiency (BTE) obtained for hydrogen is 38.05%, and gasoline is
36.8%. The maximum combustion pressure recorded is 62.5 bar and
54.9 bar for gasoline and hydrogen fuel. The effects of spark plug
locations on engine power output, the heat lost to the coolant, the
heat lost to exhaust gases, unaccounted heat, heat release rate,
and cumulative heat release rate are also studied. The net heat
release rate (NHRR) is increased by 75 % with gasoline and 107 %
with hydrogen. The mean gas temperature (MGT) recorded with
gasoline is 2746 K, and 2232 K for hydrogen, this decrease in MGT
for hydrogen is due to lean burn combustion at 1.6 equivalence
ratio. The increase in NOx emission for gasoline and hydrogen fuel
is 37.5 % and 58 % as the combustion is proper with increased NHRR,
and MGT.