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Effects of air/fuel ratio on gas emissions in a small spark-ignited non-road engine operating with different gasoline/ethanol blends

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Abstract

This study investigates the effects of several blends of gasoline and anhydrous ethanol on exhaust emission concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (HCs), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from a small spark-ignited non-road engine (SSINRE). Tests were carried out for different air/fuel equivalence ratios as measured by lambda (λ). A 196 cm3 single-cylinder four-stroke engine-generator operating at a constant load of 2.0 kW was used; pollutant gas concentrations were measured with an automatic analyzer similar to those typically used in vehicle inspections. The results showed that as the ethanol content of the mixture increased the concentrations of CO, HCs, and NOx reduced by 15, 53, and 34%, respectively, for values of λ < 1 (rich mixture) and by 52, 31, and 16% for values of λ > 1 (lean mixture). Overall, addition of anhydrous ethanol to the gasoline helped to reduce emissions of the pollutant gases investigated, what contributes to photochemical smog reduction and quality of life in urban areas.

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Abbreviations

A/F:

Air/fuel

AEA:

Anhydrous ethyl alcohol

CO:

Carbon monoxide

E% :

Percentage of ethanol added to the gasoline

HC:

Hydrocarbons

NOx :

Nitrogen oxides

SI:

Spark ignition

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Midwestern State University, (PR), Irati, 84500000, Brazil

    Waldir Nagel Schirmer & Camilo Bastos Ribeiro

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, (PR), Guarapuava, 85053525, Brazil

    Luciano Zart Olanyk

  3. Department of Chemistry, Londrina State University, (PR), Londrina, 86057970, Brazil

    Carmen Luisa Barbosa Guedes & Talita Pedroso Quessada

  4. Department of Sanitation and Environmental Engineering, Federal Institute of Goias, (GO), Goiânia, 74130012, Brazil

    Marlon André Capanema

Authors
  1. Waldir Nagel Schirmer
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  2. Luciano Zart Olanyk
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  3. Carmen Luisa Barbosa Guedes
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  4. Talita Pedroso Quessada
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  5. Camilo Bastos Ribeiro
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  6. Marlon André Capanema
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marlon André Capanema.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Schirmer, W.N., Olanyk, L.Z., Guedes, C.L.B. et al. Effects of air/fuel ratio on gas emissions in a small spark-ignited non-road engine operating with different gasoline/ethanol blends. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 20354–20359 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9651-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9651-8

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