Emissions of Criteria and Non-Criteria Pollutants by a Flex-Fuel Motorcycle

Abstract

While criteria pollutants have established emission limits for motorcycles in Brazil, aldehydes limits have not been established and conclusive studies have not been found in the existing literature, despite the growing number of motorcycles using flex fuel in Brazil. This work presents results for the emissions of criteria pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. The motorcycle was tested with 22, 61, and 100% of ethanol in gasoline blends. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to determine the pre-and post-catalytic converter emissions. Aldehyde emissions directly increased with the ethanol content in the fuel blend. The tailpipe aldehyde emissions for 22, 61, and 100% of ethanol in gasoline were 3.9, 8.5, and 38.8 mg km -1 , respectively. These results demonstrated that aldehyde emissions in motorcycles are not negligible, and higher emissions are observed during the cold phase of the engine. Keywords: vehicular, emission, aldehyde, motorcycle, flex fuel IntroductionThe internal combustion engines will remain, in the coming years, the main propulsion system for vehicles. Thus, the impact on the environment by emissions from mobile sources assumes great importance, mainly in urban centers. [1][2][3] In Brazil, concern over vehicular emissions is not new. In 1986, the Control Program of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles (PROCONVE) was created, and PROCONVE imposed a schedule to gradually reduce pollutant emissions for light and heavy vehicles. 4,5 With regard to motorcycles, legislation for emission control is newer, and in 2002, the Control Program of the Air Pollution by Motorcycles and Similar Vehicles (PROMOT) was created in Brazil. In countries with a tradition in the control of vehicle emissions such as the United States and European countries, legislation was established in the early 1960s and 1970s, respectively, 6,7 and the establishment of limits for motorcycle emissions has been established since 1990, 8 with a marked restriction from 1999. 9 However, the Brazilian legislation basically considered compounds legislated by the European Union.The emission of aldehydes is relevant to the Brazilian context, 10,11 being legislated for vehicles in terms of total emissions since 1992. 12 The basis for this control was due to the Brazilian automotive energy matrix, where fuel differs from other countries by the addition of ethanol to gasoline and its use in the hydrated form. The use of ethanol has many advantages such as a renewable fuel, generation of less carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates, and higher octane numbers compared to gasoline, which leads to an increase in the engine compression ratio, promoting greater efficiency and engine power. Disadvantages stand out because of its lower calorific value and the increased emissions of carbonyl compounds, especially aldehydes. 13,14 Because of the relationship between aldehyde emissions and the use of ethanol as a fuel, 10,15-1...

Exhaust emissions of gaseous and particle size-segregated water-soluble organic compounds from diesel-biodiesel blends

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