Ethanol and Air Quality: Influence of Fuel Ethanol Content on Emissions and Fuel Economy of Flexible Fuel Vehicles

Air conditioner power consumption accounts for a large fraction of the total power used by hybrid and electric vehicles. This study examined the effects of three different cabin air ventilation settings on mobile air conditioner (MAC) power consumption, such as fresh mode with air conditioner on (ACF), fresh mode with air conditioner off (ACO), and air recirculation mode with air conditioner on (ACR). Tests were carried out for both indoor chassis dynamometer and on-road tests using a 2012 Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Real-time power consumption and fuel economy were calculated from On-Board Diagnostic-II (OBD-II) data and compared with results from the carbon balance method. MAC consumed 28.4% of the total vehicle power in ACR mode when tested with the Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP) SC03 driving cycle on the dynamometer, which was 6.1% less than in ACF mode. On the other hand, ACR and ACF mode did not show significant differences for the less aggressive on-road tests. This is likely due to the significantly lower driving loads experienced in the local driving route compared to the SC03 driving cycle. On-road and SC03 test results suggested that more aggressive driving tends to magnify the effects of the vehicle HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system settings. ACR conditions improved relative fuel economy (or vehicle energy efficiency) to that of ACO conditions by ~20% and ~8% compared to ACF conditions for SC03 and on-road tests, respectively. Furthermore, vehicle cabin air quality was measured and analyzed for the on-road tests. ACR conditions significantly reduced in-cabin particle concentrations, in terms of aerosol diffusion charger signal, by 92% compared to outside ambient conditions. These results indicate that cabin air recirculation is a promising method to improve vehicle fuel economy and improve cabin air quality.

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The Influence of Pretreatment on the Preparation of Fuel Ethanol from Corn Stalk

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201822804002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 228 ◽

pp. 04002

Author(s):

Yanfei Wang ◽

Rui Xu ◽

Yuanyuan Heng ◽

Xiao Lu ◽

Gaofei Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Peroxide ◽

Conversion Rate ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Reducing Sugar ◽

Corn Stalk ◽

Corn Straw ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Maize Straw

In this research, the effects of three different pretreatment methods, physical pulverizing, steam blasting and hydrogen peroxide oxidizing, on ethanol preparation from corn straw were compared. The results showed that the content of reducing sugar in corn straw briquette with grinding and steam blasting pretreatment were 2 and 1.5 times higher than that without pretreatment. In the final product, the concentration of ethanol and rate of alcohol increased about 3.8 and 2 times, respectively. Besides, the reducing sugar content, ethanol content and alcohol yield in corn stalks soaked in hydrogen peroxide were 7 times higher than the untreated. The cellulose can be effectively isolated after being soaked in hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 2.5% for 72 hours, as well as better degradation of lignin and hemicellulose. The amount of ethanol and the yield of alcohol were 1.9 and 3.3 times higher than physical pulverization and steam blasting. In brief, it is declared that hydrogen peroxide pretreatment can easily destroy the lignocellulosic cellulose of maize straw and improve the conversion rate of cellulose, which might be beneficial for the production of fuel ethanol.

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Influence of fuel ethanol content on primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation potential for a modern flex-fuel gasoline vehicle

10.5194/acp-2016-579 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hilkka Timonen ◽

Panu Karjalainen ◽

Erkka Saukko ◽

Sanna Saarikoski ◽

Päivi Aakko-Saksa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Aerosol Formation ◽

Secondary Aerosol ◽

Formation Potential ◽

Aerosol Mass ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Flex Fuel ◽

Primary Emissions

Abstract. The effect of fuel ethanol content (10 %, 85 %, 100 %) on primary emissions and on subsequent secondary aerosol formation was investigated for a EURO5 flex-fuel gasoline vehicle. Emissions were characterized during the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) using a comprehensive setup of high time resolution instruments. Detailed chemical composition of exhaust particulate matter (PM) was studied using a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS) and secondary aerosol formation using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) chamber. For the primary gaseous compounds, an increase in total hydrocarbon emissions and a decrease of aromatic BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) compounds was observed when the amount of ethanol in fuel increased. In regard to particles, largest primary particulate matter concentrations and potential to form secondary particles were measured for the E10 fuel (10 % ethanol). As the ethanol content of the fuel increased, a significant decrease in average primary particulate matter concentrations over the NEDC cycle was found, PM emissions being 0.45, 0.25 and 0.15 mg m−3 for E10, E85 and E100, respectively. Similarly, a clear decrease in secondary aerosol formation potential was observed with larger contribution of ethanol in fuel. Secondary to primary PM ratios were 13.4, and 1.5 for E10 and E85, respectively. For E100 a slight decrease in PM mass was observed after the PAM chamber, indicating that the PM produced by secondary aerosol formation was less than the PM lost via e.g. wall losses or degradation of POA in the chamber. For all fuel blends, the formed secondary aerosol consisted mostly of organic compounds. For E10 the contribution of organic compounds containing oxygen increased from 35 %, measured for primary organics, to 62 % after the PAM chamber. For E85 the contribution of organic compounds containing oxygen increased from 42 % (primary) to 57 % (after the PAM chamber), whereas for E100 the amount of oxidized organics remained the same (approximately 62 %) with the PAM chamber when compared to the primary emissions.

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Impact of Ethanol Content on Full-Load Combustion Behavior and Engine Control Unit Response for a Direct-Injection, Spark-Ignition Engine

Volume 11: New Developments in Simulation Methods and Software for Engineering Applications; Safety Engineering, Risk Analysis and Reliability Methods; Transportation Systems ◽

10.1115/imece2010-38982 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew M. Ickes ◽

Thomas Wallner

Keyword(s):

Direct Injection ◽

Control Unit ◽

Spark Ignition ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Engine Control ◽

Engine Calibration ◽

Combustion Behavior ◽

Fuel Blends ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Direct Injection Spark Ignition

With its high octane number and potentially favorable greenhouse gas and energy balance characteristics, ethanol offers potential to replace portions of gasoline as a transportation fuel. System optimization to utilize the increased knock resistance and evaporative cooling effect of ethanol can increase the performance and efficiency of spark-ignition engines. Though basic engine emissions and performance effects of ethanol fuel blends have been widely reported, limited studies have examined the details of combustion behavior and the interplay between fuel ethanol content and the behavior of the engine control system. This paper quantifies the response of a production engine control unit to ethanol fuel blends, along with the subsequent combustion behavior and resulting engine performance at high-load operating conditions. Steady-state testing is conducted on a modern direct-injection, spark-ignition, four-cylinder engine using a base engine calibration at full-load (wide-open throttle) conditions across a range of engine speeds from 1500 to 4000 rpm. Test fuels include gasoline, neat ethanol, and an intermediate blend of gasoline and ethanol. A combination of low-speed engine measurements and crank angle based cylinder pressure measurements are used to demonstrate the impact of increasing fuel ethanol content on engine control parameters. Ethanol’s increased knock resistance, demonstrated by its higher octane number, compared to gasoline makes combustion less susceptible to knock as ethanol fraction in the fuel increases. Accordingly, less spark retard is required to avoid knock at high engine load, translating to higher fuel conversion efficiency and increased specific power output. This effect is explored within the framework of a production engine calibration which uses active knock-avoidance feedback control. The relative contribution between a more aggressive engine calibration and increased fuel-evaporation charge-cooling to the increased efficiency and power resulting from increasing fuel ethanol percentage is also characterized.

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Fuel Composition Effects on Automotive Fuel Economy - Auto/Oil Air Quality Improvement Research Program

10.4271/930138 ◽

1993 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Albert M. Hochhauser ◽

Jack D. Benson ◽

Vaughn R. Burns ◽

Robert A. Gorse ◽

William J. Koehl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Air Quality ◽

Fuel Economy ◽

Research Program ◽

Fuel Composition ◽

Composition Effects ◽

Quality Improvement Research ◽

Automotive Fuel ◽

Air Quality Improvement

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Effects of Fuel Ethanol Content and Volatility on Regulated and Unregulated Exhaust Emissions for the Latest Technology Gasoline Vehicles

Environmental Science & Technology ◽

10.1021/es061776o ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 4059-4064 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Thomas D. Durbin ◽

J. Wayne Miller ◽

Theodore Younglove ◽

Tao Huai ◽

Kathalena Cocker

Keyword(s):

Exhaust Emissions ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Gasoline Vehicles

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The Impact of Fuel Ethanol Content on Particulate Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles Featuring Spark Ignition Engines

SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants ◽

10.4271/2014-01-1463 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 224-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Piotr Bielaczyc ◽

Andrzej Szczotka ◽

Joseph Woodburn

Keyword(s):

Spark Ignition ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Particulate Emissions ◽

Spark Ignition Engines ◽

Light Duty ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Light Duty Vehicles ◽

The Impact

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Influence of fuel ethanol content on primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation potential for a modern flex-fuel gasoline vehicle

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-17-5311-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 5311-5329 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Hilkka Timonen ◽

Panu Karjalainen ◽

Erkka Saukko ◽

Sanna Saarikoski ◽

Päivi Aakko-Saksa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Fuel Ethanol ◽

Aerosol Formation ◽

Secondary Aerosol ◽

Formation Potential ◽

Aerosol Mass ◽

Ethanol Content ◽

Flex Fuel ◽

Primary Emissions

Abstract. The effect of fuel ethanol content (10, 85 and 100 %) on primary emissions and on subsequent secondary aerosol formation was investigated for a Euro 5 flex-fuel gasoline vehicle. Emissions were characterized during a New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) using a comprehensive set-up of high time-resolution instruments. A detailed chemical composition of the exhaust particulate matter (PM) was studied using a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS), and secondary aerosol formation was studied using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) chamber. For the primary gaseous compounds, an increase in total hydrocarbon emissions and a decrease in aromatic BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) compounds was observed when the amount of ethanol in the fuel increased. In regard to particles, the largest primary particulate matter concentrations and potential for secondary particle formation was measured for the E10 fuel (10 % ethanol). As the ethanol content of the fuel increased, a significant decrease in the average primary particulate matter concentrations over the NEDC was found. The PM emissions were 0.45, 0.25 and 0.15 mg m−3 for E10, E85 and E100, respectively. Similarly, a clear decrease in secondary aerosol formation potential was observed with a larger contribution of ethanol in the fuel. The secondary-to-primary PM ratios were 13.4 and 1.5 for E10 and E85, respectively. For E100, a slight decrease in PM mass was observed after the PAM chamber, indicating that the PM produced by secondary aerosol formation was less than the PM lost through wall losses or the degradation of the primary organic aerosol (POA) in the chamber. For all fuel blends, the formed secondary aerosol consisted mostly of organic compounds. For E10, the contribution of organic compounds containing oxygen increased from 35 %, measured for primary organics, to 62 % after the PAM chamber. For E85, the contribution of organic compounds containing oxygen increased from 42 % (primary) to 57 % (after the PAM chamber), whereas for E100 the amount of oxidized organics remained the same (approximately 62 %) with the PAM chamber when compared to the primary emissions.

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