IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
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THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON GAS EMISSIONS
1,2,3
Charalampos Arapatsakos1*, Anastasios Karkanis2 & Stella Maria Strofylla3
Department of Production and Management Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace
V. Sofias Street, 67100, Xanthi, Greece.
E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Air pollution is a major problem for public health in most cities of the developing world. Epidemiological studies
show that air pollution in developing countries is the reason for ten thousands and more deaths and billions of
money in medical costs and lost productivity each year too. These loses are connected to poorer quality of life
and overload considerably people in all sectors of society. This work examines the exhaust gas temperature
influence in CO2, CO, HC emissions in a four-stroke gasoline engine. The experiments have shown that the
reduction of exhaust gas temperature has as a result the reduction of CO2, CO, HC. The engine used as fuel
gasoline and gasoline-methanol mixtures.
Key-Words: Gas emissions, Gas temperature, CO2, CO, HC, Gasoline- methanol mixtures.
1. INTRODUCTION
Air pollution is a major environment related health threat to human beings and a risk factor for both acute and
chronic respiratory disease. Moreover, air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any
chemical, physical agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Common sources of air
pollution are motor vehicles, industrial facilities, household a dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its level higher
than they have been for hundreds of thousands of years. Apart from the anthropogenic sources of air pollution there
are natural sources as well. Natural sources related to dust from natural source, usually large areas of land with little
or no vegetation, forest fires that emit particulates into the atmosphere, volcanoes which spew out sulfur dioxide and
large amounts of volcanic ash etc. A big volcanic eruption can darken the sky over a wide region and affect the
Earth’s entire atmosphere. The main causes of air pollution are the carbon monoxide, the carbon dioxide, the sulfur
dioxide, the nitrogen dioxide, the combustion of fuels in automobiles and jet planes, the burning of fossil fuels etc.
There are several many types of air pollutant [1,2,3,4,5,6]. These include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect and
holes in the ozone layer. The atmospheric conditions such as the wind, rain, stability affect the transportation of the
air pollutant [3,4,7,8,9,10,11]. Furthermore, depending on the geographical location temperature, wind and weather
factors, pollution is dispersed differently [5,6, 12,13,14,15]. For instance, the wind and rain may effectively dilute
pollution to relatively safe concentrations despite a fairly high rate of emissions. In contrast when atmospheric
conditions are stable relatively low emissions can cause buildup of pollution to hazardous levels. Air pollution not
only affects the air we breathe, but it also impacts the land and the water. The human health effects of poor air
quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body’s respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. The
human health effects caused by air pollution may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to
difficulty breathing. It can also cause deaths, aggravated asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, lung and heart diseases to
human beings. Air pollution does not have discriminations in the age. Even the younger children can be affected
seriously from the air pollution By taken into consideration all the above, there is a big need to prevent the air
pollution, in order to breath in a clean and healthy environment.
The consequences of gas emissions from internal engine combustion are quite unfavorable. The need to reduce
emissions have led designers of piston engines to develop various technologies, which can be broadly classified into
two categories: internal (prevention methods) and external methods (methods of reduction, Exhaust Gas Treatment).
The methods of prevention constitute substantially interventions to the combustion process, aiming to limit the
production of unwanted pollutants. The other method is also aiming to the reduction of gas emissions but not in the
production. It is about technologies brought from outside the engine which either trap or transform unwanted
chemicals, pollutants emitted. It is clear that the main importance is given to the methods of prevention, since only
those actually solve the problem, aiming to reduce emissions. In contrast, the other method do not aim in the source
of problem, since both trapping and the chemical transformation resulting in the production of by-product, whether
it is the same emission or a reaction product. Consequently, it raises the problem of subsequent management.
However, it should be noted that both categories of methods are generally against the specific fuel combustion and
the concentration of fuel for engine.
The question that arises is how the cooling of exhaust gases influences CO2, CO, HC emissions in a four-stroke
gasoline engine.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
2. INSTRUMENTATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
For the experiments it has been used a four-stroke air cooled gasoline engine, named LIFAN type Smart
125(1P52FMI), volume 119,6cc with one cylinder and max power 7,5hp/7500rpm. The engine was used for the
movement of motorcycle. The first measurements were made when the engine was functioned under different,
revolutions 2500-4500-7500rpm using gasoline as fuel. The second measurements were made without load
conditions and revolutions that are shown in figure 7. The fuels that have been used were gasoline and mixture of
gasoline-methanol, in 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, of methanol and there was a continuous monitoring of the exhaust
gases, CO2, CO and HC, for each number of rpm separately.
2.1. Experimental measurements
During the experiments, it has been measurement:
 The CO %
 The CO2 %
 The HC(ppm)
 The engine rpm
Picture1. Experimental layout
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
Picture1,1. Experimental layout
Picture 2. The four stroke engine
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
Picture 2,1. The four stroke engine
Picture 3. The cooling radiator and the air fan
The measurement of rounds/min of the engine was made by a portable tachometer (Digital photo/contact
tachometer) named LTLutron DT-2236. The CO2, CO and HC emissions have been measured by HORIBA
Analyzer MEXA-574 GE.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
The emissions go through the exhaust from the radiator with surface area of rotation 172x41cm3. In order to cool the
emissions it has been used a fan S&P compact hcft/4-630h with maximum volume air 17060m3/h and maximum
speed 1420rpm. The fan shoots a beam of air to the radiator decreasing the exhaust temperature. For the
measurement of temperature it has been used thermocouples type K. The measurements of CO2, CO, HC and gas
temperature have been made before and after placing the radiator with the engine operating without load conditions.
2.2. Experimental results
The experimental results are shown at the following figures:
2500rpm
Before radiator
After radiator
16
14
12
CO2 [% ]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [% ]
10
8
Exh.Temp°C/100
rpm/1000
6
4
2
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
time [sec]
Figure 1. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when the engine
rpm is 2500.
4500rpm
before radiator
after radiator
16
14
CO2 [% ]
12
HC/100 [ppm]
10
CO [% ]
Exh.Temp°C/100
8
rpm/1000
6
4
2
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
time [sec]
Figure 2. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when the engine
rpm is 4500.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
7500rpm
before radiator
after radiator
16
14
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
12
10
Exh.Temp°C/100
rpm/1000
8
6
4
2
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
time [sec]
Figure 3. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when the engine
rpm is 7500.
2500rpm
14
average value
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
CO2(%)
CO(%)
HC(ppm)/100
before radiator
13,38
1,76
4,09
after radiator
11,57
1,53
3,23
Figure 4. The average values of CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator, when the engine rpm is 2500.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
4500rpm
14
average value
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
CO2(%)
CO(%)
HC(ppm)/100
before radiator
13,94
0,54
1,93
after radiator
12,44
0,53
1,26
Figure 5. The average values of CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator, when the engine rpm is 4500.
7500rpm
16
14
average value
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
CO2(%)
CO(%)
HC(ppm)/100
before radiator
14,04
0,99
0,79
after radiator
12,69
1,99
0,67
Figure 6. The average values of CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator, when the engine rpm is 7500.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
The exhaust gas temperature was decreased with the help of radiator and air fan and was maintained at 29-30oC.
From the above diagrams it can be noticed a decreased of CO2, CO, HC, after the radiator (with the exception of CO
at 7500rpm, in where it has been observed a small increase from 0,99% to 1,19%) due to the reduction of exhaust
gas temperature.
The following diagrams present the results from the second measurements. In the first 180 sec exhaust gases leaving
without the use of radiator in temperature that is shown in the following diagrams. From 180 to 360 sec the exhausts
exiting through radiator and their final temperature is about 29-30oC.
Before radiator
After radiator
10
9
rpm/1000
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time [sec]
Figure 7. The engine rpm variation before and after the radiator.
Before radiatore
gasoline
After radiatore
36
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
Exh_Temp/100
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time[sec]
Figure 8. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when used as
fuel gasoline.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
Before radiator
36
10% Methanol
After radiator
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
Exh_Temp/100
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time [sec]
Figure 9. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when used as
fuel gasoline-10%methanol mixture.
Before radiator
36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
20% M ethanol
After radiator
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
Exh_Temp/100
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time [sec]
Figure 10. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when used as
fuel gasoline-20%methanol mixture.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
Before radiator
30% M ethanol
After radiator
36
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
Exh_Temp/100
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time [sec]
Figure 11. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when used as
fuel gasoline-30%methanol mixture.
Before radiator
36
40% Methanol
After radiator
CO2 [%]
HC/100 [ppm]
CO [%]
Exh_Temp/100
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
0
40
80
120
160
200
240
280
320
360
Time [sec]
Figure 12. The CO2, CO, HC, before-after the radiator and the gas temperature before the radiator, when used as
fuel gasoline-40%methanol mixture.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
14
CO2(%) average value
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
gasoline
10%
20%
30%
40%
Before radiator
12.6
11.15
11.064
8.14
6.96
After radiator
11.9
10.73
9.135
8.01
5.77
Figure 13. The average values of CO2, before-after the radiator, for any fuel.
25
HC(ppm) average value
20
15
10
5
0
Before radiator
After radiator
gasoline
10%
20%
30%
40%
7.4
7.947
7.7
15.87
24.8
2.008
6.87
7.67
13.8
13.37
Figure 14. The average values of HC, before-after the radiator, for any fuel.
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IJRRAS 11 (1) ● April 2012
Arapatsakos & al. ● The Effect of Temperature on Gas Emissions
1.8
1.6
CO(%) average value
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
gasoline
10%
20%
30%
40%
Before radiator
1.75
0.218
0.212
0.209
0.203
After radiator
0.96
0.21
0.202
0.201
0.2
Figure 15. The average values of CO, before-after the radiator, for any fuel.
3. CONCLUTION
In the case of first set of measurements, the reduction of exhaust gas temperature has resulted in the reduction of
CO2, CO, HC emissions except the case where the engine operated at 7500 rpm in where it has been presented a
small increase of CO emissions. By taken into consideration the second set of measurements, it can be concluded
that the reduction of gas temperature even in the case of using different fuel mixtures (gasoline-methanol) has as a
result the reduction of emissions.
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