Light duty diesel vehicle emissions at high altitude

Conference · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Proc., Annu. Meet., Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7098969

Hollman, T W; Gallagher, J L

Twenty 1981-82 light-duty diesel vehicles were randomly selected from Denver metropolitan vehicle registration lists for Federal Test Procedure (FTP) emissions testing. Opacity levels were monitored during the entire FTP and during various ''short tests'', which were designed to detect FTP failures and/or excessively high opacity levels under loaded driving conditions. Regulated emissions from this fleet of vehicles were lower than an earlier study conducted in Denver of 1978-80 light-duty diesel vehicles. Five vehicles which exceeded current federal emissions standards received restorative maintenance, i.e., high altitude adjustments and kits, air filter changes, and fuel injection system maintenance (as needed). Following restorative maintenance these vehicles were retested under the third phase of the FTP (Hot transient section) to evaluate the effect of the adjustment on emissions and opacity. Both increases and decreases were seen on emissions and opacity as a result of these procedures. Hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate emissions averaged decreases as a result of the adjustment maintenance, while oxides of nitrogen and mean opacity averaged increases. Mean opacity values of FTP opacity levels were calculated on all 20 vehicles. Mean opacity was used only to compare individual vehicles and groups of vehicles. The ''passed'' fleet (based on FTP regulated emissions standards) did show a lower mean opacity than the ''failed'' fleet. The restorative maintenance procedures increased mean opacity levels on four of the five ''failed'' vehicles. Initial review of the short tests did not show any incriminating evidence for detecting FTP failures. However, further analysis is on-going as of this writing to determine the value of individual short tests in detecting FTP failures and/or excessive smoke levels from light-duty diesel vehicles.

• Research Organization: Colorado Department of Health Denver, Colorado
• OSTI ID: 7098969
• Report Number(s): CONF-830617-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Proc., Annu. Meet., Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 83-48.2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330700 -- Advanced Propulsion Systems-- Emission Control
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALTITUDE
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLORADO
DIESEL ENGINES
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
FAILURES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FEDERAL TEST PROCEDURE
FLUIDS
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS
FUEL SYSTEMS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROCARBONS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MAINTENANCE
MONITORING
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OPACITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
USA
WASTES