NATURE AND TYPE OF POLLUTION FROM AUTOMOBILES AND STRATEGIES FOR ITS CONTROL
Dr. G. C. Kisku, Scientist
Industrial Toxicology Research Centre,
Environmental Monitoring Division
M. G. Marg, Post Box No. 80,
Lucknow-226001, U. P.
E- mail : kiskugc1@
INTRODUCTION
Deterioration of air quality is a major environmental problem in many large urban centers in both developed and developing countries. Although urban air quality in developed countries has been controlled to some extent during the past two decades, in most of the developing countries it is worsening and becoming a major threat to the health and welfare of people and the environment. In our modern society, quality of life is greatly measured by the amount of consumption of electricity or by the use of car. Electricity generation and operation of vehicles mostly use fossil fuel. As these fuels are burnt, huge quantity of lethal chemicals and poisonous particulate matter are released as a part of emission into the surrounding atmosphere due to incomplete combustion causing serious air pollution, affecting public health. The contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution was first recognized by Prof. Hazen Smit who discovered that the two invisible vehicular emissions namely hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen were responsible for the famous Los Angeles ‘photochemical smog’. These gases interact with one another and other components of the atmosphere to generate several harmful compounds viz. carcinogens. The auto exhaust also affects our valuable cultural heritage, historical places/ monuments/ architecture and the environment. The number of vehicles in India has increased from 1.86 million in 1971 to 32 million in 1996 and about 53 million in 2000. Meteorological and topographical conditions affect dispersion and transport of these pollutants in ambient air.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE TYPES
Spark-ignition and Diesel engines are the two most common engines. Other types of engines are Rotary (Wankel) Engines, Gas-Turbine (Brayton) Engines, Steam (Rankine) Engines, Stirling) Engines, Electric and Hybrid Vehicles.
Spark-ignition gasoline engines have either a 2-Stroke (the cycle is completed in 2-strokes of the piston) or 4-Stroke design (the cycle is completed in 4-strokes, Suction ►Compression ►Expansion or Power
and ► Exhaust Strokes of the piston). 2-stroke engines are cheaper, lighter and can produce greater power output per unit of displacement, so they are widely used in motorcycles, scooters and mopeds and small power equipment. It emits 20-50% of their fuel unburned in the exhaust, resulting in high emissions and poor fuel economy. All gasoline engines currently used in automobiles and larger vehicles use the 4-Stroke design. Advanced 2-Stroke engines under development would achieve lower emissions and fuel consumption than 4-Stroke engines.
TYPES OF FUELS
Pollutant emissions from motor vehicles are determined by the vehicle’s engine type and the fuel it uses. Ideal fuel must have certain physical, chemical and combustion properties, such as high energy density, good combustion qualities, high thermal stability, low deposit forming tendencies, compatibility with engine hardware, good fire safety, low toxicity, low pollution, easy transferability and on-board vehicle storage.
Commonly use fuels are gasoline and diesel. Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds which have been distilled from petroleum. Sulfur is a constituent in oil; low sulfur oil is in great demand as a fuel because the SO2 emission is reduced. L ow sulfur oil is called “Sweet”.
Alternative fuels considered for vehicular use are natural gas (in compressed or liquefied form, Natural gas contains the lighter aliphatic compounds, largely methane, CH4. A typical gas would be 80-90% CH4 , 5 to 10 % ethane and the rest other compounds), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), methanol (made from natural gas, coal or biomass), ethanol (made from grain or sugar) vegetable oils, hydrogen, synthetic liquid fuels derived from the hydrogenation of coal and various blends such as gasohol.
POLLUTANTS EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES
Emission from vehicles especially automobiles contribute significantly two third of air pollution in the urban area. Main sources of emission from automobiles are :
i). Evaporative Emissions-are HC vapors lost constantly and directly to the atmosphere due to volatile nature of petrol, mainly from the fuel line’s, fuel tank and carburetor depending upon fuel composition, engine operating temperature and ambient temperature. Losses from the carburetor, called Hot Soak Emissions, occur when a hot engine is stopped. It should be noted that out of total emissions, which are much more in case of petrol than diesel, 20-32% of the total emissions are due to evaporation losses, of which the HCs happen to be the chief constituents.
ii). Crankcase Emission (also called running loss emissions) –are unburnt or partially burned fuel components that, under pressure, escape from the combustion chamber, pass the pistons and enter the
