METHANOL FUMIGATION OF A LIGHT DUTY AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL

An Oldsmobile 5.7L V-8 diesel engine was fumigated with methanol in amounts up to 40% of the fuel energy in order to determine the effect of methanol fumigation on fuel efficiency, smoke, nitric oxide (NO) emission, and the occurrence of severe knock. An assessment of the biological activity for samples of the raw exhaust particulate and its soluble organic extract was also made by the Ames Salmonella typhimurium test and the Bacillus Subtilis Comptest. Results are presented for a test matrix consisting of twelve steady state operating conditions chosen to reflect over-the-road operation of a diesel engine powered automobile. Methanol fumigation was found to decrease NO emission for all conditions, to have a slight effect on smoke opacity, and to have a beneficial effect on fuel efficiency at higher loads. At higher loads, the methanol was found to induce what was defined as "knock limited" operation. While the biological activity of the raw particulate was generally found to be lower than that of the soluble organic fraction, the fumigation by methanol appears to enhance this activity in both cases. Details of the tests are appended.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in HS-030 973 (SP-471), "Engines, Fuels and Lubricants--A Perspective on the Future," Warrendale, Pennsylvania, 1980, pp 64-78. Presented at SAE Fuels and Lubricants Meeting, Baltimore, 20-23 October 1980.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Houser, K R
  • Lestz, S S
  • Dukovich, M
  • Yasbin, R E
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biological activity; Diesel engines; Engine knock; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Methanol; Nitric oxide; Nitrogen oxides; Smoke; Test procedures
• Old TRIS Terms: Biologic activity; Test results
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00376436
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE-801379, HS-030 980
• Contract Numbers: EPA-806558010, DE-AS02-78EV04964, CAES-571-80
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 30 1983 12:00AM