European Tribune - Comments - Diesel heavy haul across Europe

Diesel heavy haul across Europe | 56 comments (56 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Extra notes 2: passenger diesels (4.00 / 2)

Generally speaking, carbon monoxide is the result of incomplete combustion. In gasoline automotive engines, three methods of limiting it are:

Combustion chamber shaped to promote swirling of the gasses.
Lean mixture (more air per unit of fuel).
Catalytic converters to convert CO to CO2.

I'm not sure that swirl techniques are practical on direct injection engines (including diesels), because the burning happens on the surfaces of the fuel droplets before they get a chance to evaporate.

by asdf on Sun Jul 12th, 2009 at 09:56:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Extra notes 2: passenger diesels (none / 0)

From that, I take, it is only influenced by the engine and the fuel?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Jul 12th, 2009 at 11:03:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Extra notes 2: passenger diesels (none / 1)

I'm at the limit of my knowledge on the subject, but for example, the engine temperature influences the combustion, so the cooling system indirectly affects the CO production.

Here's an interesting article on the Honda Insight hybrid, where they went "all out" in trying to meet low emission and high economy targets. There are a LOT of tricks in use...not all applicable to railroad engines, obviously, but there is an interesting parallel between the two.

http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/771011-FszVdC/native/771011.pdf

by asdf on Sun Jul 12th, 2009 at 10:37:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Diesel heavy haul across Europe | 56 comments (56 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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