Developing a portable emissions measurement system for flex vehicles

• Grant number: 17/26931-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Duration: July 01, 2021 - June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Transportation Engineering - Vehicles and Control Equipment
• Principal Investigator: Flavio Guilherme Vaz de Almeida Filho
• Grantee: Flavio Guilherme Vaz de Almeida Filho
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City: São Paulo
• Partner institutions: Secretaria do Meio Ambiente (São Paulo - Estado). Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB)
• Associated researchers: Maria de Fátima Andrade

Abstract

Due to the importance of vehicles as source of atmospheric pollutants, the United States and Europe, and later also Brazil, have adopted programs of control of vehicular pollution emission based on vehicle type-approval through laboratory tests which, however, are considered to be few representative in comparison to the "real world" and subject to frauds. In order to overcome this difficult, Europe has since 2017 adopted an additional test, where the vehicle runs streets and roads attached to a Portable Emission Measurement System (PEMS) and must comply with the legal emissions limits. This methodology of emissions testing is in the way to be introduced in several countries, including Brazil. But there is an important constraint that PEMS is a 100% imported and very expensive technology; the user only has access to a closed package ("turn-key") which measure only CO2, CO, NOx and HC; besides it is a large and heavy system which makes it difficult to be coupled to compact vehicles. The objective of this multidisciplinary, interdepartmental project is to develop, with CETESB support, a smaller and less expensive PEMS than the imported similar one, able to measure pollutants from light vehicles and motorcycles moved by petrol, ethanol or flexfuel. The gases measurements will be conducted by a laser analyzer working together with exhaust flow measurement, GNSS positioning and data acquisition from the engine electronic central unit, resulting in relevant data about vehicle emission produced in real world conditions. This system will be a useful tool to USP, CETESB, manufacturers and academic researchers for emissions regulations and atmospheric pollution studies. (AU)