Introduction

“Emissions” is a collective term that is used to describe the undesired gases and particles which
are released into the air or emitted by various sources. Undesirable emissions in internal combustion
engines are of major concern because of their negative impact on air quality, human health, and global
warming. Therefore, there is a concerted effort by most governments to control them. The role of
engine design, vehicle operating variables, fuel quality, and emission control devices are the factors that
important in minimizing the negative impact. Internal combustion engines (ICE) operate by burning
fossil fuel derivatives. Exhaust emissions in ICE are their major contribution to environmental pollution.
Typical emissions contain primary greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (𝐶𝑂2 ), methane (𝐶𝐻4) and
nitrous oxide (𝑁2 𝑂).

All this criteria of pollutants are the major components, for examples, carbon monoxide (CO),
total nitrogen oxides (𝑁𝑂𝑋 ), sulfur dioxide (𝑆𝑂2 ), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC)
and particulate matter (PM). In many countries exhaust emissions still contain lead or manganese.
Halogen containing gases and hydrocarbons(HC) emitted as evaporative emissions are the vehicle
pollutants. Other negative effects include odor and noise. Now, most of the countries are prohibited
leaded gasoline as it is also sources that causes pollution. The relative proportions of the major
pollutants in exhaust emissions depend mainly on the specific organization and parameters of the
ignition and combustion processes in the ICE. Fuels are usually matched to engines although the full
utilization of the advantages of some alternative fuels requires modification of the engine or the
development of a new type of engine.

ICE have two group of engines that are spark ignition (SI), and compression ignition (CI). SI
engines may be classified as two stroke and four stroke engines while for CI engines as direct and
indirect injection engines. In four –stroke gasoline engines, the main pollutants are hydrocarbons, CO
and nitrogen oxides. They are contained in exhaust emissions, but hydrocarbons are contributed both
with exhaust, and with the evaporative emissions. While in two-stroke engines, this type of engines will
emit (20-50) per cent of their unburned in the exhaust, but also a considerable amount of oil, which is a
component of air-fuel mixture by design. The air pollution from this engines are higher and includes a
considerable amount of particulate matter.

In direct injection CI engines, the fuel is sprayed directly into compressed heated air, it
evaporates, and ignites. They provide higher power output and better efficiency than engines with
indirect ignition. In this assignment, the title is about findings the technology or method that can be
used for the emissions reduction of ICE.
 Control of emission from SI engines

In petrol engines, the main pollutants which are objectionable and are to be reduced are HC, CO and
NOx. The methods used are :-

a. Crankcase Emission Control (PCV System)

Normally in any ICE, a small amount of charge in cylinder will leaks from the past piston rings into
crankcase of the reciprocating engines. The combustion already begun as the rings change their position
in the grooves at the end of the compression stroke(near top dead centre). At this point, the cylinder
pressures are really high that causes the some charge stored in the piston cylinder crevice leaks into the
crankcase. These gases are known as “crankcase blow by” which has high concentration of HC especially
in homogenous charge engines. As the engine is worn-out and the piston-cylinder clearances and ring
gaps increase, the gases flow rate also increases. This blow by gases may consist of partially burnt
mixture that contributes 20% of HC.
In PCV system, the “crankcase blow by” gases that is ventilated to atmosphere will be recycled back to
the engine assisted by a positive pressure drop between the crankcase and intake manifold. The blow by
gases is leads back to engine through a tube that connects crankcase or the cylinder head cover to the
intake manifold below throttle valve.
Then, when the engine is running and intake charge is throttled the intake manifold is at a lower
pressure than the crankcase. The blow-by gases mix with the intake charge to be burned inside the
engine cylinder to 𝐶𝑂2 and𝐻2 𝑂. Due to suction effect of intake manifold as the pressure in the crankcase
falls, ventilation air from the air cleaner is drawn into the crankcase that continuously purges it. There is
also a one-way valve (PCV valve) that is used to control the flow of blow by gases. PCV valve restricts
flow of blow by gases during idling and very light loads that could cause excessive leaning of the charge
by ventilation air. In normal engine operation, PCV valve is fully open to provide free flow of the gases
but if it is under high intake manifold vacuum the flow will be restricted.

Figure 1a : Show the PCV system

 b. Evaporative Emission Control

Without using the evaporative emission control, the fuel vapours from the fuel tank and carburettor
were vented into the atmosphere that constituted about 20% of all hydrocarbon emissions. So by using
the evaporative emission control system, it can reduced the HC emitted. This is because the evaporative
emission control consists of a device that can store fuel vapours produced in the fuel system due to
evaporation. The device is a canister containing activated charcoal. Firstly, the vapours which produced
in the fuel tank is normally collected in the fuel tank itself and vented to the charcoal canister when fuel
vapour pressure becomes excessive. The fuel vapours from the tank and carburettor are adsorbed into
the charcoal. As the engine is running, vacuum created in the intake manifold that is used to draw fuel
vapours from the canister into the engine. Purging air is sucked through the canister which leads the fuel
vapours from canister to the engine. There also additional mixture enrichment are tolerated and under
these operating conditions the stored fuel vapours are usually purged into the intake manifold.
This system is a fully closed system. During the purging process of the canister, a sealed fuel tank filler
cap is used and a stable fuel tank pressure is maintained. These are some of the measures adopted to
achieve near zero evaporative emissions, for example, in California; sealed fuel tank is kept under
vacuum to prevent permeation of fuel through walls of a polymer fuel tank and leakage of fuel vapours
through filler cap. Fuel tubing are made of high density polymer or steel to reduce/prevent fuel
permeation. Better canister technology produced more effective activated charcoal. Employment of
refuelling vapour recovery (ORVR) system as during vehicle refuelling, maximum share of fuel
evaporative emissions escape. A carbon trap to arrest the escape of fuel vapours from intake manifold.

Figure 1b : Show the layout of evaporative control system

 c. Exhaust Gas Recirculation(EGR)

Normally, exhaust gas has a higher heat capacity that the air as it contains significant amount of tri-
atomic gases, 𝐶𝑂2 and water vapours. So, by adding of exhaust gas to fresh intake charge can lowering
the combustion temperatures compared to simple leaning of the charge. This is because the addition of
diluents to the intake charge for lowering of combustion temperatures and consequently reducing the
formation of 𝑁𝑂𝑥 . Therefore, EGR is defined as a mass per cent of total intake flow;-

ṁ𝐸𝐺𝑅
EGR = ( ṁ𝑖
)× 100%

“i” is the total mass flow into the engine.

Typically, only small amount of EGR (about 5%-10%) rates are employed. At higher EGR rates, frequency
of partial and complete misfire cycles increases resulting in unacceptably higher HC emissions and loss in
fuel economy and power. EGR systems are made to operate mostly in the part-load range. These are
deactivated at engine idle, because large amount of residual gas is already present in the cylinder. Many
times the system is deactivated at full throttle conditions as the vehicle rarely operates under these
conditions during city operation.
An EGR control valve is used to regulate flow of EGR depending upon engine operating conditions. The
intake manifold pressure or exhaust back pressure may be used to control EGR rate as these parameters
vary with engine load. EGR rate in modern engines is controlled by the engine electronic control unit. A
pressure sensor in the exhaust or intake provides signal to the electronic control module of the engine,
which turn to regulates the operation of the EGR valve. Electronically controlled EGR valves actuated by
high-response stepper motor are being used on modern engines. Their fast response during transient
operation makes it possible to reduce 𝑁𝑂𝑥 more than what is obtained by use of a mechanically
controlled EGR valves. Effectively a lower rate of EGR can be employed to obtain the same reduction in
𝑁𝑂𝑥 that result in a lower penalty on HC emissions

Figure 1c: Show the layout of EGR control system

 d. Water Injection

The addition of water to intake charge has been investigated to reduce the formation of 𝑁𝑂𝑥 . Water
also has been added to the high performance, reciprocating aero SI engines to suppress engine knock.
This is because, water addition to intake charge is another form of charge dilution to reduce combustion
temperatures.
Water has been directly injected into intake manifold or used as water-fuel emulsion. Emulsifying
chemicals in about 2 per cent by volume are added to form water-gasoline emulsions. The addition of
emulsifiers usually reduces the fuel octane number. With water addition ranging from 10 to 30% by
volume of gasoline, large reductions in 𝑁𝑂𝑥 are possible However, high increase in HC is observed
although only a slight increase in CO occurs. Therefore, this water injection is not so efficient way for
reduction emissions as it can cause corrosion to the engines components.

Control of emission from diesel engine

In combustion process in diesel engines, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, particulate matter(PM) and
oxides of nitrogen are also created and emitted into the atmosphere from the tail pipe. So, the addition
of certain pollution control devices and the creation of a self-adjusting engine are useful to reduced this
emissions. These are few methods:-
1. An oxygen sensor was installed in the exhaust system and would measure the fuel content of
the exhaust stream. It then would send a signal to a microprocessor, then it would analyse the
reading and operate a fuel mixture or air mixture device to create the proper air per fuel ratio.
PM emissions from stationary diesel engines are more of a concern than those for IC engines
using other fuels.
2. Oxidation or lean-𝑵𝑶𝒙 catalyst can be used to reduce the gaseous emissions associated with
the use of diesel engines and also provide significant PM control. This diesel particulate filter
systems can achieve up to and greater than 90% PM control and also providing reductions in the
gaseous emissions.
3. In addition, special ceramic coatings applied to the combustion zone surfaces of the piston
crown, valve faces, and head also have the ability to significantly reduce 𝑁𝑂𝑥 and PM emissions
in diesel engines. These ceramic coatings can be used by themselves or combined with an
oxidation catalyst to give even greater reduction of PM. Ceramic engine coatings change the
combustion characteristics such that less dry, carbon soot, is produced.
4. Moreover, when combined with an oxidation catalyst, ceramic coatings allow retarding of the
engine to reduce 𝑁𝑂𝑥 , while CO and particulates are maintained at low levels. In the case of
gaseous fuels, ceramic coatings have shown the ability to allow the user to operate their engines
with timing significantly advanced generating higher power levels. Also, wider ranges of fuel
composition and ambient air temperature fluctuations are tolerated without the deleterious
effects of pre combustion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, variety of technology can be used for controlling and reducing the emissions from
internal combustion engine(ICE). This technology can reduced the negative impact of emissions of ICE
that includes air pollution, human health and global warming.