AUTOMOTIVE HYDROCARBON EMISSION PATTERNS AND THE MEASUREMENT OF NONMETHANE HYDROCARBON EMISSION RATES

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.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Pub. by Society of Automotive Engineers, International Automotive Engineering Congress and Exposition, Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI, February 28-March 4, 1977, Paper 77014.
• Corporate Authors:

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory
  Research Triangle Pk, NC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Black, F
  • High, L
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Pagination: 19 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air quality management; Automobiles; Catalysts; Chemical analysis; Concentration (Chemistry); Exhaust gases; Gas analysis; Gas chromatography; Hydrocarbons; Infrared spectroscopy; Methane; Monitoring; Oxidation; Photochemical oxidants; Testing equipment; Vehicle power plants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Experimental design; Laboratory equipment; Monitors
• Old TRIS Terms: Automobile engines
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00166358
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: EPA/600/J-77/009
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 1978 12:00AM