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A 2001 General Motors 4.3 liter V-6 marine engine was baseline emissions tested and then equipped with catalysts. Emission reduction effects of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) were also explored. Because of a U.S. Coast Guard requirement that inboard engine surface temperatures be kept below 200°F, the engine's exhaust system, including the catalysts, was water-cooled. Engine emissions were measured using the ISO-8178-E4 5-mode steady-state test for recreational marine engines. In baseline configuration, the engine produced 16.6 g HC+NOx/kW-hr, and 111 g CO/kW-hr. In closed-loop control with catalysts, HC+NOx emissions were reduced by 75 percent to 4.1 g/kW-hr, and CO emissions were reduced by 36 percent to 70 g/kW-hr of CO. The catalyzed engine was then installed in a Sea Ray 190 boat, and tested for water reversion on both fresh and salt water using National Marine Manufacturers Association procedures.

Studies of emissions from vehicles equipped with catalysts have shown that some unregulated emissions can increase when a catalyst is used. One example of this is sulfuric acid, which has been studied extensively. Other unregulated emissions include ammonia and hydrogen cyanide. In a number of studies, these unregulated pollutant emissions have been measured from light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines. These emission levels were used in air quality dispersion models to predict the resultant air quality levels. The ambient concentrations predicted for each pollutant were then compared to suggested concentrations at which adverse health effects may be found to determine if additional monitoring or control would be indicated for these pollutants. It was determined that mobile source emissions of sulfuric acid, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia do not in general result in ambient levels of concern for the air quality situations studied.

The advent of emission control technology has resulted in significant changes in both the total mass and detailed patterns of hydrocarbons emitted from automobiles. Emission rates of 56 hydrocarbons from 22 motor vehicles, including catalyst and noncatalyst configurations, were determined for the Federal Urban Driving Cycle. An increased relative abundance of methane is indicated for vehicles equipped with oxidation catalysts. In view of the photochemically non-reactive nature of methane, simple and economic procedures for determination of vehicle nonmethane hydrocarbon emission rates are evaluated. In general the procedures evaluated require independent total hydrocarbon and methane analysis, with the nonmethane hydrocarbon level calculated by difference. The procedures are evaluated by comparison of indicated nonmethane hydrocarbon emission rates with rates obtained by summation of individual compound rates determined by advanced gas chromatographic procedures.

A Methanol catalyst test program has been conducted in two phases. The purpose of Phase I was to determine whether a base metal or lightly-loaded noble metal catalyst could reduce Methanol engine exhaust emissions with an efficiency comparable to conventional gasoline engine catalytic converters. The goal of Phase II was the reduction of aldehyde and unburned fuel emissions to very low levels by the use of noble metal catalysts with catalyst loadings higher than those in Phase I. Catalysts tested in Phase I were evaluated as three-way converters as well as under simulated oxidation catalyst conditions. Phase II catalysts were tested as three-way converters only. For Phase I, the most consistently efficient catalysts over the range of pollutants measured were platinum/rhodium configurations. None of the catalysts tested in Phase I were able to meet a NOx level of 1 gram per mile when operated in the oxidation mode.

On-vehicle proof-of-concept testing was conducted to evaluate the ability of the dual oxygen sensor catalyst evaluation method to identify serious losses in catalyst efficiency under actual vehicle operating conditions. The dual oxygen sensor method, which utilizes a comparison between an upstream oxygen sensor and an oxygen sensor placed downstream of the catalyst, was initially studied by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under steady-state operating conditions on an engine dynamometer and reported in Clemmens, et al. (1).* At the time that study was released, questions were raised as to whether the technological concepts developed on a test fixture could be transferred to a vehicle operating under normal transient conditions.

High mileage vehicles (in excess of 50,000 miles) contribute more than half of all vehicular emissions. With the new catalytic converter equipped cars, the proportional contribution of these vehicles may be even higher than for pre-catalyst vehicles. Thus a substantial portion of motor vehicle related air pollution may be caused by vehicles not subject to the manufacturer directed provisions of the Clean Air Act. This paper presents a modeling effort based on hypotheses and some preliminary data, and suggests some alternatives to combat this potential problem.

This paper summarizes a laboratory effort toward reducing nine-mode cycle composite emissions and fuel consumption in a heavy-duty gasoline engine, while retaining current durability performance. Evaluations involved standard carburetors, a Dresserator inductor, a Bendix electronic fuel injection system, exhaust manifold thermal reactors, and exhaust gas recirculation, along with other components and engine operating parameters. A system consisting of electronic fuel injection, thermal reactors with air injection and exhaust gas recirculation, was assembled which met specified project goals. An oxidation catalyst was included as an add-on during the service accumulation demonstration. In addition, the driveability of this engine configuration was demonstrated.

This paper presents the results of an exhaust emission testing program conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The test vehicles were 1978–1980 passenger cars of various makes and models. Each of the 686 vehicles tested was equipped with a three-way catalyst system and was certified to California standards. The purpose of the program was to gather information on current systems in customer use for projections on the ability of the three-way system to meet emission standards of the future. The results indicate that these systems are capable of achieving low emission levels although high levels are also possible due to defects, deterioration, or tampering.

This, the eleventh in a series of Papers on EPA fuel economy trends, emphasizes the current Model Year (1983) as usual, but also gives increased emphasis to trends in vehicle technology, including catalyst and transmission subclasses. Final “CAFE”* production volumes and MPG figures have been used to update the data bases through the 1980 Model Year, and an analytic method used in the past to allocate year-to-year fleet MPG changes to specific causes, such as weight mix shifts, has been reinstituted. Conclusions are presented on the relation between fuel economy and emission standards, catalyst types, and transmission types.

Simple tests were performed to investigate the operating characteristics of zirconia galvanic cells (lambda sensors) in automotive closed loop “three-way” emission control systems. Commercially available cells were exposed to typical gaseous components of exhaust gas mixtures. The voltages generated by the cells were at their maximum values when hydrogen, and, in some instances, carbon monoxide, was available for reaction with atmospheric oxygen that migrated through the cells' ceramic thimbles in ionic form. This dependence of galvanic activity on the availability of these particular reducing agents indicated that the cells were voltaic devices which operated as oxidation/reduction reaction cells, rather than simple oxygen concentration cells.

EPA published the first results from evaluations of electrically heated catalyst (EHC) technology for light-duty automotive applications. Since then, a number of automakers, suppliers, and government agencies have published results from their heated catalyst development and evaluation programs. EPA has evaluated a number of start catalyst systems incorporating an EHC start catalyst followed by a larger, conventional main catalyst. These systems have proven very effective at reducing cold start related emissions from methanol vehicles at low mileage. This paper compares the results from several EHC + main catalyst evaluations conducted by EPA.

This paper discusses the systems used by the Office of Mobile Source Air Pollution Control of EPA to measure and analyze automotive sulfuric acid emissions. This system involves mixing the entire vehicle exhaust with dilution air in a dilution tunnel. Sulfuric acid samples are collected by passing a small portion of the dilute exhaust through Fluoropore filters. The sulfuric acid content of the filters is determined by an automated barium chloranilate method. This paper also discusses test results from a number of advanced prototype vehicles including two stratified charge cars, a Dresser carburetor vehicle, three dual catalyst cars, and a 3-way catalyst car.

Regulated emissions (THC, CO, NOx, and PM) and particulate SOF and sulfate fractions were determined for a 1995 Detroit Diesel Series 50 urban bus engine at varying fuel sulfur levels, with and without catalytic converters. When tested on EPA certification fuel without an oxidation catalyst this engine does not appear to meet the 1994 emissions standards for heavy duty trucks, when operating at high altitude. An ultra-low (5 ppm) sulfur diesel base stock with 23% aromatics and 42.4 cetane number was used to examine the effect of fuel sulfur. Sulfur was adjusted above the 5 ppm level to 50, 100, 200, 315 and 500 ppm using tert-butyl disulfide. Current EPA regulations limit the sulfur content to 500 ppm for on highway fuel. A low Pt diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) was tested with all fuels and a high Pt diesel oxidation catalyst was tested with the 5 and 50 ppm sulfur fuels.

Methylcyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl (MMT) while originally marketed in the late 50's and early 60's as a secondary antiknock to leaded fuels, is presently being marketed as a primary antiknock targeted for the EPA required lead-free gasoline grade tailored for use in catalyst-equipped vehicles. This paper reviews and discusses new information related to the effect of manganese gasoline additives on the performance of catalysts, regulated emissions, and several currently unregulated emissions. In addition, estimates of human exposures to automotive-generated manganese particulate and the toxicological characteristics of manganese are discussed as they related to an assessment of the potential public health consequences should manganese additives come into widespread use. EPA's position regarding the use of manganese additives is presented and discussed.

In response to more stringent emission requirements, catalysts for reducing NO to molecular nitrogen were developed. One of the most promising of these, the three-way catalyst, has been the subject of an EPA study to determine if it produces new tailpipe contaminants. This study and its results are described.