The effects of fuel additives on alcohol exhaust and evaporative emissions

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Proc., Annu. Meet., Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5282383

Espinola, S A; Nebolon, J F; Pepley, R K; Tamura, A T

As a result of the past decade of evaluation, the technical feasibility of alcohols as extenders and substitutes for gasoline in spark ignited engines has been generally established both with regards to performance and emissions. One of the problem areas is cold starting and warm-up driveability. High heats of vaporation and low vapor pressures at low temperatures of the alcohols are the cause of these problems. Current solutions include electric heating, separate fuel supply, and the addition of volatile components to the alcohol such as gasoline, isopentane and dimethyl ether. The alcohols typically are as clean burning or cleaner burning than gasoline. The effect on regulated emissions from using additives needs to be included in the evaluation of cold starting additives. This assessment should include consideration of total hydrocarbons as well as detailed hydrocarbons for photochemical impact and flame ionization detector responsivity. This paper presents an examination of the emissions evidence from two three-way catalysts equipped vehicles: A 1980 Ford Pinto and a 1981 Volkswagon Rabbit. The test fuels were neat methanol and a 5.5% (by mass) isopentane/methanol blend.

• Research Organization: University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California
• OSTI ID: 5282383
• Journal Information: Proc., Annu. Meet., Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc., Annu. Meet., Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 82-68.1; ISSN PRAPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090200* -- Alcohol Fuels-- (-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
2-METHYLBUTANE
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ADDITIVES
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALKANES
AUTOMOBILES
CALORIFIC VALUE
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
DATA
EMISSION SPECTRA
ENGINES
EVAPORATION
EXHAUST GASES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUEL ADDITIVES
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
GASOHOL
GASOLINE
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS TESTING
METHANOL FUELS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SPARK IGNITION ENGINES
SPECTRA
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TESTING
VEHICLES
WASTES