EMISSION IN SI &

CI ENGINE

MADE BY-
DEEPANSHU JAIN
 SI Engine (Spark Ignition
Engine)
Spark Ignition (SI) Engine is a type of engine in which the
combustion takes place by the spark generated by the spark
plug. It uses petrol as fuel and works on Otto cycle. In the
spark ignition engine the air fuel mixture is inserted into the
cylinder with help of carburetor. The compression of the fuel
takes place but it has low compression ratio. The fuel is
ignited by the spark generated by the spark plug. SI engine
produces less noise and vibration and their starting is very
easy. They are light in weight and have less maintenance
cost. They are mostly used in light commercial vehicles such
as scooters, motorcycles cars etc.
 CI Engine (Compression
Ignition Engine)
Compression Ignition (CI) Engine is an engine in which the combustion of
fuel takes place by the heat of the compressed air. It uses diesel as fuel
and works on Diesel cycle. In the compressed ignition engine, only air
enters into the cylinder during suction stroke. It has high compression
ratio because of the high ignition temperature of the diesel fuel. The
fuel is ignited by the heat of the compressed air. Due to high compression
ratio it produces more power. Due to incomplete combustion of the fuel,
it produces more hydrocarbons which lead to air pollution. The noise and
vibration problem is there in the CI engines. The maintenance cost of the
CI engine is more as compared with the SI engines. They are mostly used
in heavy duty vehicles such as buses, trucks, railways, ships etc.
 Pollutant Formation
• All engines produce undesirable emissions as a result of combustion.

• The emissions of concern are unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), carbon

monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen such as nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide
(NOx), sulfur dioxide, and solid carbon particulates.

• These emissions pollute the environment and contribute to acid rain, smog
odors, and respiratory and other health problems.

• HC emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles include a number of toxic

substances such as benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
1,3-butadiene and three aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein).

• Carbon dioxide is an emission that is not regulated but is the primary

greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.

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 Nitrogen Oxides(NO)
• NOx includes nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

• In SI engines the dominant component of NOx is NO

• Forms as a result of dissociation of molecular nitrogen and oxygen.

• Since the activation energy of the critical elementary reaction O+N2→NO+N

is high the reaction rate is very temperature dependent, w''′ ~ exp (-E/RT)

• Therefore NO is only formed at high temperatures and the reaction rate is

relatively slow.

• At temperatures below 2000K the reaction rate is extremely slow, so NO

formation not important.

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 In-cylinder NO Formation
• Since the cylinder temperature changes throughout the cycle the NO
reaction rate also changes.

• Each fluid element burns to its AFT based on its initial temperature,
elements that burn first near the spark plug achieve a higher temperature.

• Since the chemistry is not fast enough the actual NO concentration tends
toward but never achieves the equilibrium value.
If NO concentration is lower than equilibrium value – NO forms
If NO concentration is higher than equilibrium value – NO decomposes

• Once the element temperature reaches 2000K the reaction rate becomes
so slow that the NO concentration effectively freezes at a value greater than
the equilibrium value.

• The total amount of NO that appears in the exhaust is calculated by

summing the frozen mass fractions for all the fluid elements: 6
 Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbon emissions result from the presence of unburned fuel in the
engine exhaust.

However, some of the exhaust hydrocarbons are not found in the fuel, but are
hydrocarbons derived from the fuel whose structure was altered do to
chemical reaction that did not go to completion. For example: acetaldehyde,
formaldehyde, 1,3 butadiene, and benzene all classified as toxic emissions.

About 9% of the fuel supplied to the engine is not burned during the normal
combustion phase of the expansion stroke.

Only 2% ends up in the exhaust the rest is consumed during the other
three strokes.

As a consequence hydrocarbon emissions cause a decrease in the thermal

efficiency, as well as being an air pollutant.

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 Hydrocarbon Emission Sources
for SI Engine
Crevices – these are narrow regions in the combustion chamber into which
the flame cannot propagate becse it is smaller than the quenching distance.

Crevices are located around the piston, head gasket, spark plug and valve
seats and represent about 1 to 2% of the clearance volume.

The crevice around the piston is by far the largest, during compression the fuel
air mixture is forced into the crevice (density higher than cylinder gas since gas
is cooler near walls) and released during expansion.

Crevice
Piston ring

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Hydrocarbon Emission Sources
Oil layers - Since the piston ring is not 100% effective in preventing oil
migration into the cylinder above the piston, oil layers exist within the
combustion chamber. This oil layer traps fuel and releases it later during
expansion.

Deposits – With continued use carbon deposits build up on the valves, cylinder
and piston head. These deposits are porous with pore sizes smaller than the
quenching distance so trapped fuel cannot burn. The fuel is released later
during expansion.

Flame quenching – It has been shown that the flame does not burn completely
to the internal surfaces, the flame extinguishes at a small but finite distance
from the wall. Most of this gas eventually diffuses into the burned gas during
expansion stroke.

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 Hydrocarbon Emission Sources
for CI Engines
Crevices - Fuel trapped along the wall by crevices, deposits, or oil due to
impingement by the fuel spray (not as important as in SI engines).

Undermixing of fuel and air - Fuel leaving the injector nozzle at low velocity,
at the end of the injection process cannot completely mix with air and burn.

Overmixing of fuel and air - During the ignition delay period evaporated fuel
mixes with the air, regions of fuel-air mixture are produced that are too lean to
burn. Some of this fuel makes its way out the exhaust.
Longer ignition delay more fuel becomes overmixed.

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 Carbon Monoxide(CO)
The C-O-H system is more or less at equilibrium during combustion and
expansion.

Late in the expansion stroke when the cylinder temperature gets down to
around 1700K the chemistry in the C-O-H system becomes rate limited and
starts to deviate from equilibrium.

In practice it is often assumed that the C-O-H system is in equilibrium until

the exhaust valve opens at which time it freezes instantaneously.

The highest CO emission occurs during engine start up (warm up) when the
engine is run fuel rich to compensate for poor fuel evaporation.

Since CI engines run lean overall, emission of CO is generally low and not
considered a problem. 11
CO Formation

• Primarily dependent on the equivalence ratio.

• Levels of CO observed are lower than the maximum values

measured within the combustion chamber

• but are significantly higher than equilibrium values

for the exhaust conditions

• The processes which govern CO exhaust levels are

kinetically controlled

• The rate of re-conversion from CO to CO2 is slower than

the rate of cooling.

• This explains why CO is formed even with

stoichiometric and lean mixtures.
 Emission Control

The current emission limits for HC, CO and NOx have been reduced to 4%,
4% and 10% of the uncontrolled pre-1968 values, respectively.

Three basic methods used to control engine emissions:

1) Engineering of combustion process - advances in fuel injectors, oxygen

sensors, and on-board computers.

2) Optimizing the choice of operating parameters - two NOx control measures

that have been used in automobile engines since 1970s are spark retard and
EGR.

3) After treatment devices in the exhaust system - catalytic converter

Nowadays three way catalytic converters are used

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Three-way catalyst consists of:

• Rhodium – the principal metal used to remove NO

• Platinum – the principal metal used to remove HC and CO

NO reacts with CO, HC and H2 via reduction reactions on the surface of the catalyst.

Remaining CO and HC are removed through an oxidation reaction

forming CO2 and H2O in the products.

Light-off temperature: The temperature at which the catalytic converter becomes

50% efficient. It is approximately 270oC for oxidation of HC
and about 220oC for oxidation of CO.

Conversion efficiency at fully warmed up condition is 98-99% for CO and 95% for HC,
depending on the HC components.
Three-way Catalysts

• If the engine is operated at all times with an air-fuel ratio at or close to

stoichiometric then both NO reduction and HC/CO oxidation can be done in a
single catalyst bed.

• The catalyst effectively brings the exhaust gas composition to a near-equilibrium

state at their exhaust conditions, that is, a composition of CO2, H2O and N2.

• Enough reducing gases will be present to reduce NO and enough oxygen to oxidize
CO and HC. Such a catalyst is called a Three Way Catalyst (TWC).

• It requires an electronic carburetor or a fuel injection system (FIS), through closed

loop control of Φ.

• An oxygen sensor in the exhaust is used to indicate whether the engine is

operating rich or in the lean side of stoichiometric and provide a signal for
adjusting the fuel system to achieve the desired A/F.
• Commercial TWC contain Pt & Rh (Pt/Rh = 2 to 17), with some alumina,
NiO and CeO2. Alumina is the preferred support material.

• Catalyst must be quickly warmed up (20–30s) - current system takes 2 min.

• Catalytic reactors must have low thermal inertia, that is, it must be constructed
of material, which have low specific heat but high thermal conductivity. Hence
warm up time to operating temperature will be less.

• Methods for decreasing warm up time are:

1. Use of an after burner

2. Locating the converter or use of a start up converter closer to the exhaust
valve/manifold.
3. Electric heating - Additional cost plus a major drain in the battery;
required
for starting the engine. Up to 1.5 kW for short period may be required.
4. Absorb the UBHC during cold start and release it after warming up.