Effect of use of low oxygenate gasoline blends upon emissions from California vehicles. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:6842458

Born, G L; Lucas, S V; Scott, R D; DeFries, T H; Kishan, S

The objective of this project was to investigate the emissions effects of low-oxygenate gasoline blends on exhaust and evaporative emissions from a test fleet of California certified light-duty autos. Thirteen vehicles were procured and tested using four gasoline-oxygenate blends over three test cycles. The four gasoline blends were: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and 'match' and 'splash' blends of ethanol (in the 'match' blend the fuel Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) is held constant, while in the 'splash' blend the fuel RVP is allowed to increase). Hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide exhaust emissions were generally reduced for the oxygenated blends, the exception being the 'splash-blended' ethanol gasoline which showed mixed results. Older technology vehicles (e.g., non-catalyst and oxidation catalyst) showed the greatest emissions reductions regardless of gasoline blend, while later technology vehicles showed the smallest reductions. Evaporative emissions and toxics were generally reduced for ETBE, while results for the other blends were mixed.

• Research Organization: Automotive Testing Labs., Inc., East Liberty, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6842458
• Report Number(s): PB-94-207586/XAB; CNN: ARB-A932-159
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330700* -- Advanced Propulsion Systems-- Emission Control
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AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ALCOHOL FUELS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
ETHANOL FUELS
FUELS
METHANOL FUELS
OXIDATION
POLLUTION CONTROL
SYNTHETIC FUELS