Characterization of emissions from a variable gasoline/methanol fueled car. 1990

P A Gabele
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

In response to the occurrence of the increasingly severe ambient ozone exceedances, regional environmental managers are examining the possibility of a cleaner fuel for automobiles. At this time the leading candidate appears to be methanol. In anticipation of a shift to methanol, flexible-fueled automobiles capable of operating on gasoline and/or methanol are being developed. This study examines both the exhaust and evaporative emissions from a prototype General Motors Variable Fuel Corsica. Results are reported for tests conducted at temperatures of 40 degrees, 75 degrees, and 90 degrees F, and for fuels M0 M25, M50, M85, and M100. In addition to regulated emissions and fuel economy, emission rates for methanol, aldehydes, and a large number of hydrocarbon compounds were measured. The data indicate that increasing the fuel's methanol content does not affect the exhaust organic emission rate (calculated in accordance with the regulation) from flexible-fueled cars, but formaldehyde and methanol comprise increasingly greater portions of the organic material while hydrocarbons comprise less. Increasing fuel methanol content has no significant effect on exhaust regulated emission rates (organic material, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides) nor on the composition of total hydrocarbons, except for methane, which increases substantially. The effect of ambient temperature on both exhaust and evaporative emissions is similar to its effect on gasoline cars: organic and carbon monoxide exhaust emissions increase substantially at the lower temperatures, and evaporative emissions increase steadily with increases in temperature.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010578 Petroleum Naturally occurring complex liquid hydrocarbons which, after distillation, yield combustible fuels, petrochemicals, and lubricants. Crude Oil,Crude Oils,Oil, Crude,Oils, Crude,Petroleums
D005742 Gasoline Volative flammable fuel (liquid hydrocarbons) derived from crude petroleum by processes such as distillation reforming, polymerization, etc. Diesel Fuel,Diesel Fuels,Fuel, Diesel,Fuels, Diesel,Gasolines
D000432 Methanol A colorless, flammable liquid used in the manufacture of FORMALDEHYDE and ACETIC ACID, in chemical synthesis, antifreeze, and as a solvent. Ingestion of methanol is toxic and may cause blindness. Alcohol, Methyl,Carbinol,Sodium Methoxide,Wood Alcohol,Alcohol, Wood,Methoxide, Sodium,Methyl Alcohol
D001335 Vehicle Emissions Gases, fumes, vapors, and ODORANTS escaping from the cylinders of a gasoline or diesel internal-combustion engine. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed & Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Automobile Exhaust,Diesel Exhaust,Engine Exhaust,Vehicle Emission,Vehicular Emission,Traffic-Related Pollutants,Transportation Emissions,Vehicular Emissions,Emission, Vehicle,Emission, Vehicular,Emissions, Transportation,Emissions, Vehicle,Emissions, Vehicular,Exhaust, Automobile,Exhaust, Diesel,Exhaust, Engine,Pollutants, Traffic-Related,Traffic Related Pollutants

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