International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research Issue 5 volume 7, Nov. –Dec.

2015
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Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

Study on exhaust emissions and its reduction techniques

in automotive engines

P.Sriraman*, R.Balasubramani1, V.Dhinesh², S.Dinesh³, R.Harnish4

*1234
Department of mechanical Engineering, Sri Ramakrishna Engineering
College, Coimbatore.
Abstract

The present study explores the various techniques in reducing the exhaust emission gases from the
automotive engines. Generally, Exhaust gas is emitted as a result of fuel combustion of any type. It is discharged
into the atmosphere through the numerous ways depending upon the type of engine. Motor vehicle emissions
highly contribute to the atmospheric pollution and to the other effects. So, their treatment were considered serious
throughout the entire discussion. These techniques were vividly explained by the various researchers in earlier.
However, the current paper feeds a platform to create a junction to list out the numerous techniques discussed by
the various researchers. Also, the study combined with some environmental causes founded as a result of such
exhausts.
NOx, being hazardous in nature, they are only the main constituent in the exhaust emitted from the moving
vehicles. Finally, the research get concentrated mainly on the treatment of NOx groups. NOx emission reduction
is the most commonly required one in all the researches on the vehicle engines but they are too hard to manipulate
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with the primary methods. Thus, the paper can also generates the challenge for the improvement in the techniques
that could cut down the emissions with the minimum level fuel penalty. Based on the various researches provided
over the last twenty years, best solutions are deducted and also a list is provided by summarizing the data from all
the previously published journals on the subject in the last two decades.

Keywords: Exhaust gas, NOx emission, Scavenging, EGR, Preignition, CFD.

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1. Introduction

1.1 Exhaust gas atmosphere, they are the serious source for the
irritation of lungs and eyes. Ecosystem and living
The exhaust gas is actually a combination of organisms seems to be in trouble also due to these
many different gases like NO, N2, CO2, H2O and gases. Carbon monoxide is the one which mainly
O2. Though some are harmless, there are few that contributes to the air-poisoning. Though they are
are harmful and are considered major pollutants. colorless, tasteless and odourless, they are highly
One of the most dangerous of these is NOx and its toxic in nature. Carbon monoxide reacts with the
other related impurities. Nitrogen monoxides NO blood hemoglobin to form carboxy-haemoglobin
and NO2 react with the mixture of ammonia to form which reduce the effectiveness in supply of oxygen
acidic solutions and other related particles. Among all over the tissues. Benzenes nature affects the bone
those reactants, small particles get entered through marrow and weakens the joints all over the body.
the lunch tissues and suffers them. They can also Also the immune system of the human body tends to
leads to the premature death. During respiration, lose its nature and goes abnormal and also leads to
they can also resulted into some respiratory excessive bleeding over the tissues. Leukemia is
disorders like asthma and into some heart diseases. another major disease causes along with the blood
One of the significant source for the NOx emission cancers. The health effects of inhaling airborne
is the on-road vehicles. Next to those, NOx can also particulate matter have been seems to be serious in
emitted from some non- road bodies too. Next to the all the living being and include asthma, lung cancer,
NOx, ozone is another major emissions from the and premature death. Motor vehicle CO2 emissions
exhaust. Though, they are beneficial in the upper can also causes some climatic changes.

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©2015 RS Publication, [email protected] Page 493
International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research Issue 5 volume 7, Nov. –Dec. 2015
________________________
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

Nomenclature

CO2 Carbon dioxide EGR Exhaust gas recirculation

NO Nitrogen monoxide.
BMEP Break mean effective pressure
NOx Nitrogen oxides
PHEM Passenger car and heavy duty emission model
PM Particulate matter
SI Spark ignition

CFD Computational fluid dynamics

1.2 Exhaust emission rate.

Component Emission Rate Annual pollution emitted

Hydrocarbons 2.80 grams/mile (1.75 g/Km) 77.1 pounds (35.0 kg)

Carbon monoxide 20.9 grams/mile (13.06 g/Km) 575 pounds (261 kg)
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NOx 1.39 grams/mile (0.87 g/Km) 38.2 pounds (17.3 kg)

Carbon dioxide - greenhouse gas 0.916 pounds per mile (258 g/km) 11,450 pounds (5,190 kg)
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2. Methodologies

2.1 Methods for NOx reduction

2.1.1 Pretreatment or conditioning of fuel and combustion process of the engines. It can also
combustion air reduce the scavenging temperature and hence lower
the air injection ratio. These scavenging temperature
The combustion air and fuel are the two sources
reduction can also be achieved by alternating the
only responsible for the ignition. Thus, it is
necessary to treat the both these sources. The fuel combustion chamber geometry .The above actions
can be converted into emulsified fuel. The can follows more than 20 percent reduction in the
emulsified fuel, being the mixture of water and fuel, exhaust. By recirculating the exhaust gas, oxygen
the ignition level can be varied prominently and thus content and its purity in the combustion air can be
the exhaust emission can be reduced. Next, it is reduced which can also help to reduce the exhaust
necessary to treat the combustion air. The spray emissions.
nozzle can be mounted near the intake manifold.
These nozzle may provide some moisture to the 2.1.3 Engine tuning or operational mode
atmospheric air entering the combustion chamber. Engine tuning is the most common task to reduce
Thus, it also reduce the flame gas and exhaust the fuel penalty and to increase the efficiency of the
emission significantly. engine. However, it is also a responsibilities of the
2.1.2 Hardware design specification and engine manufacturers. Their Preignition angle of
enhancement crank over the cylinder can be altered. It helps to
retard the fuel injection timing in to the combustion
With the help of analytical tools like chamber.
computational fluid dynamics (CFD), engine
manufacturers conduct extensive research in the
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©2015 RS Publication, [email protected] Page 494
International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research Issue 5 volume 7, Nov. –Dec. 2015
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Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

2.1.4 Conditioning the exhaust gas after combustion displacement of the oxygen in the fresh intake air
charge by inert gases, which causes a reduction in
The treatment of the exhaust also tends to reduce
the flame temperature because of the spatial
the emission level considerably. It can be
broadening of the flame due to the reduction in the
experimented by the addition of ammonia to the
exhaust. These additions form the water vapour and oxygen molar fraction.
hence the concentration of the exhaust can be cut The thermal effect, due to the increase in the
down. But, ammonia is hazardous in nature and thus average specific heat capacity of the gases in the
they cannot be directly employed. Thus, urea, being combustion zone, since recirculated exhaust
a mixture naturally rich in ammonia can be contains CO2 and H2O with higher specific heat
preferred. than that of air

2.2. EGR effects on combustion and NOx formation The chemical effect, i.e. the reduction in the
combustion temperature due to endothermic
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is effective in chemical reactions, such as the dissociation of CO2
reducing NOx formation since it lowers the peak and H2O.Ladommatos and co-workers investigated
flame temperature attained the combustion process. the importance of each of the above described
Several effects may contribute to this result when the Mechanisms through a series of experiments, which
intake gas is diluted with exhaust gases. involved diluting the intake charge by means
The dilution or oxygen displacement effect, i.e. the
reduction in the oxygen mass fraction due to the
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Fig.1. Experimental correlation between NOx emissions (g/kW h) and intake O2 concentration (%).Different
symbols correspond to different engine operating points, ranging from 2 to 5 bar BMEP and from 1500 to 2000
+rpm.

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International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research Issue 5 volume 7, Nov. –Dec. 2015
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Fig. 2. NOx – Soot ‘‘trade-off’’ with and without EGR cooling (2000 rpm/5 bar BMEP)

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: in the level of carbon monoxide will highly suffer
the performance of engine. However, the increase in
From the study, following discussions can be carbon dioxide will probably enhance the
deduced: performance of any IC engines. Thus, these two
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3+.1 Combustion analysis: These analysis must be aspects must be remembered while operating any
made vital in order to get a better result in future. engine in order to remain the performance
Because, any SI engine never maintain any consistent.
consistency in its combustion process. Also, it is 3.3 Homogenous catalyst on the fuel mixture: By
observed that the higher the inconsistency in the
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adding any additional catalyst to the fuel mixture,

combustion process, higher will be the exhaust the break fuel consumption of any vehicle can be
emissions. gradually increased. However, the exhaust emission
3.2 Concentration on engine performance: Though level cannot be kept under control. It can be
the subject is framed mainly for the exhaust increased by 6 % than the normal rate. Thus, it is
emission reduction in engines, it is also necessary to needed to concentrate on both the fuel efficiency and
concentrate for the engine performance too. Increase in exhaust control.

Fig. 3. Comparison of calculated fuel consumption levels and CO2 emission factors.

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©2015 RS Publication, [email protected] Page 496
International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research Issue 5 volume 7, Nov. –Dec. 2015
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Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

4. Conclusions
This project is primarily focused on the operating under transient condition with biodesel fuel blends
exhaust emission and its reduction techniques. The Appl energy 2012 691-715
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[17]Joumard R, et al. Emission factor modelling and database for

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