Measurement of vehicle emissions and power performance of an engine dedicated to gasoline converted to natural gas vehicular

Abstract

The present research work reports the factorial experiment carried out in the Institute of Mechanical and Electromechanical Research (IIME) of the Major Saint Andrew University (UMSA), the purpose was to evaluate vehicle power and emission of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, as well as other gases with harmful effects on human health, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and total hydrocarbons generated by an internal combustion engine dedicated to gasoline and converted to bi-fuel CNG. For experimentation, a test stand was assembled with a motor commonly used in light transport vehicles in the city of La Paz, and converted to CNG in two types of transformation technology, third and fifth generation, the first being subsidized by the Bolivian State. The results allowed to determine that emissions depend on the operating regime and that the vehicles converted to CNG do not significantly reduce the emission of GHG issued per unit time in relation to original operation with gasoline, this is because they generate higher emission gas flows in the same operating regimes. Emission of other gases harmful to health are significantly superior when converting to the engine with technology of 3rd generation without use of mixer. Being also its performance of lower power, it falls between 87 and 75% of the original value. It is evident that the type of technology and mode of conversion applied influences the emissions and vehicular power.