Hector Maldonado

Primary gas- and particle-phase emissions and secondary organic aerosol production from gasoline and diesel off-road engines.

Dilution and smog chamber experiments were performed to characterize the primary emissions and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from gasoline and diesel small off-road engines (SOREs). These engines are high emitters of primary gas- and particle-phase pollutants relative to their fuel consumption. Two- and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs emit much more (up to 3 orders of magnitude more) nonmethane organic gases (NMOGs), primary PM and organic carbon than newer on-road gasoline vehicles (per kg of fuel burned). The primary emissions from a diesel transportation refrigeration unit were similar to those of older, uncontrolled diesel engines used in on-road vehicles (e.g., premodel year 2007 heavy-duty diesel trucks). Two-strokes emitted the largest fractional (and absolute) amount of SOA precursors compared to diesel and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs; however, 35-80% of the NMOG emissions from the engines could not be speciated using traditional gas chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography. After 3 h of photo-oxidation in a smog chamber, dilute emissions from both 2- and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs produced large amounts of semivolatile SOA. The effective SOA yield (defined as the ratio of SOA mass to estimated mass of reacted precursors) was 2-4% for 2- and 4-stroke SOREs, which is comparable to yields from dilute exhaust from older passenger cars and unburned gasoline. This suggests that much of the SOA production was due to unburned fuel and/or lubrication oil. The total PM contribution of different mobile source categories to the ambient PM burden was calculated by combining primary emission, SOA production and fuel consumption data. Relative to their fuel consumption, SOREs are disproportionately high total PM sources; however, the vastly greater fuel consumption of on-road vehicles renders them (on-road vehicles) the dominant mobile source of ambient PM in the Los Angeles area.

Comparison of Gasoline Direct-Injection (GDI) and Port Fuel Injection (PFI) Vehicle Emissions: Emission Certification Standards, Cold-Start, Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation Potential, and Potential Climate Impacts

Recent increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards have led to widespread adoption of vehicles equipped with gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engines. Changes in engine technologies can alter emissions. To quantify these effects, we measured gas- and particle-phase emissions from 82 light-duty gasoline vehicles recruited from the California in-use fleet tested on a chassis dynamometer using the cold-start unified cycle. The fleet included 15 GDI vehicles, including 8 GDIs certified to the most-stringent emissions standard, superultra-low-emission vehicles (SULEV). We quantified the effects of engine technology, emission certification standards, and cold-start on emissions. For vehicles certified to the same emissions standard, there is no statistical difference of regulated gas-phase pollutant emissions between PFIs and GDIs. However, GDIs had, on average, a factor of 2 higher particulate matter (PM) mass emissions than PFIs due to higher elemental carbon (EC) emissions. SULEV certified GDIs have a factor of 2 lower PM mass emissions than GDIs certified as ultralow-emission vehicles (3.0 ± 1.1 versus 6.3 ± 1.1 mg/mi), suggesting improvements in engine design and calibration. Comprehensive organic speciation revealed no statistically significant differences in the composition of the volatile organic compounds emissions between PFI and GDIs, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Therefore, the secondary organic aerosol and ozone formation potential of the exhaust does not depend on engine technology. Cold-start contributes a larger fraction of the total unified cycle emissions for vehicles meeting more-stringent emission standards. Organic gas emissions were the most sensitive to cold-start compared to the other pollutants tested here. There were no statistically significant differences in the effects of cold-start on GDIs and PFIs. For our test fleet, the measured 14.5% decrease in CO2 emissions from GDIs was much greater than the potential climate forcing associated with higher black carbon emissions. Thus, switching from PFI to GDI vehicles will likely lead to a reduction in net global warming.

Creation and Evaluation of a Medium Heavy-Duty Truck Test Cycle

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) developed a Medium Heavy-Duty Truck (MHDT) schedule by selecting and joining microtrips from real-world MHDT. The MHDT consisted of three modes; namely, a Lower Speed Transient, aHigher Speed Transient, and a Cruise mode. The maximum speeds of these modes were 28.9, 58.2 and 66.0 mph, respectively. Each mode represented statistically selected truck behavior patterns in California. The MHDT is intended to be applied to emissions characterization of trucks (14,001 to 33,0001b gross vehicle weight) exercised on a chassis dynamometer. This paper presents the creation of the MHDT and an examination of repeatability of emissions data from MHDT driven through this schedule. Two trucks were procured to acquire data using the MHDT schedule. The first, a GMC truck with an 8.2-liter Isuzu engine and a standard transmission, was tested at laden weight (90% GVW, 17,5501b) and at unladen weight (50% GVW, 9,7501b). The second, a Freightliner with a 7.2-liter Caterpillar engine and an automatic transmission, was tested only at 13,000lb (50% GVW). The test runs were performed using the West Virginia University (WVU) medium-duty chassis dynamometer, located in Riverside, CA. Vehicle inertia was mimicked using a flywheel set, and tire and wind drag were mimicked using an eddy current power absorber. The truck exhaust was ducted to a full-scale dilution tunnel, with HEPA filtered dilution air, and a flow rate of approximately 1,500scfm. Particulate matter (PM) mass was found gravimetrically, using filtration, while carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) and hydrocarbons (HC) were measured using research grade analyzers. Data were computed in units of g/cycle, g/mile, g/ahp-hr, g/gallon and g/minute, and were examined most carefully in units of g/mile. Preliminary runs showed that the GMC truck did deviate from the target trace when tested at laden weight, and the completed distance for the MHDT Lower Speed Transient mode varied from 0.906 to 0.954 miles. Laden data from the GMC truck demonstrated that emissions were repeatable for all three modes of the MHDT schedule. Averaged GMC truck results for all laden runs of the Lower Speed Transient mode were 8.99g/mile NO x and 0.26g/mile PM results for the Higher Speed Transient mode were 6.50g/mile NO x and 0.20g/mile PM and for the Cruise mode were 4.73g/mile NO x and 0.09g/mile PM. Unladen data from the GMC truck also showed acceptable repeatability, with emissions of NO x that were about 87% of the laden values. The Freightliner, with an automatic transmission, produced 16.39g/mile NO x and 0.33g/mile PM on the Lower Speed Transient mode, 12.59g/mile NOX and 0.25g/mile PM on the Higher Speed Transient mode, 7.93g/mile NO x and 0.14g/mile PM on the Cruise mode and 7.57g/mile NO x and 0.19g/mile PM on the UDDS (Test D). when three runs of thee same mode were run back-to-back, the standard deviation of NO x values for six sequences of runs were under 4% of the average for all three modes on both the manual transmission truck at laden test weight and the automatic transmission truck at unladen weight. CO 2 variation was under 4% as well, except in one instance. In two of the six sequences PM variability exceeded 10%. The researchers concluded that the MHDT was suitable for characterizing the emissions from trucks in future inventory research. Data also showed that emissions from a mode were unaffected by whichever mode was run previously.

Directions for combustion engine aerosol measurement in the 21st century.

Abstract The Coordinating Research Council convened two Real-Time PM Measurement Workshops in December 2008 and March 2009 to take an intensive look at the current status and future directions of combustion aerosol measurement. The purpose was to examine the implications of parallel rapid developments over the past decade in ambient aerosol science, engine aftertreatment technology, and aerosol measurement methodology, which provide benefits and challenges to the stakeholders in air quality management. The workshops were organized into sessions targeting key issues in ambient and source combustion particulate matter (PM). These include (1) metrics to characterize and quantify PM, (2) the need to reconcile ambient and source measurements, (3) the role of atmospheric transformations on modeling emissions and exposures, (4) the impact of sampling conditions on PM measurement, and (5) the potential benefits of novel PM instrumentation. This paper distills the material presented by subject experts and the insights derived from the in-depth discussions that formed the core of each session. The paper’s objectives are to identify areas of consensus that allow wider practical application of the past decade’s advances in combustion aerosol measurement to improve emissions and air quality modeling, develop emissions reduction strategies, and to recommend directions for progress on issues in which uncertainties remain.

Characterization of the emissions impacts of hybrid excavators with a portable emissions measurement system (PEMS)-based methodology

Hybrid engine technology is a potentially important strategy for reduction of tailpipe greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants that is now being implemented for off-road construction equipment. The goal of this study was to evaluate the emissions and fuel consumption impacts of electric-hybrid excavators using a Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS)-based methodology. In this study, three hybrid and four conventional excavators were studied for both real world activity patterns and tailpipe emissions. Activity data was obtained using engine control module (ECM) and global positioning system (GPS) logged data, coupled with interviews, historical records, and video. This activity data was used to develop a test cycle with seven modes representing different types of excavator work. Emissions data were collected over this test cycle using a PEMS. The results indicated the HB215 hybrid excavator provided a significant reduction in tailpipe carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (from -13 to -26%), but increased diesel particulate matter (PM) (+26 to +27%) when compared to a similar model conventional excavator over the same duty cycle.