Air –Fuel Ratio

The effect of air-fuel ratio on engine emissions has already been discussed in Lectures 3 , 5 and 7.

 Carbon monoxide results due to deficiency of oxygen during combustion and is reduced as
the mixture is leaned. CO emissions are reduced to very low values as the mixture is leaned
to = 0.90 – 0.95 i.e. air-fuel ratio is increased above the stoichiometric value by 5 to 10%.
Further leaning of mixture shows very little additional reduction in the CO emissions.
 With increase in air fuel ratio, the initial concentration of hydrocarbons in the mixture is
reduced and more oxygen is available for oxidation. Hydrocarbon emissions therefore,
decrease with increase in air-fuel ratio until mixture becomes too lean when partial or
complete engine misfire results which cause a sharp increase in HC emissions For < 0.8
engine may misfire more frequently thereby increasing HC emissions sharply.
 The highest burned gas temperatures are obtained for mixtures that are slightly (5 to 10
percent) richer than stoichiometric. On the other hand, there is little excess oxygen available
under rich mixture conditions. As the mixture becomes lean, concentration of free oxygen
increases but combustion temperature start decreasing. The interaction between these two
parameters results in peak NO being obtained at about = 0.9 –0.95.
General Rules of Emission Analysis

 If CO goes up, O2 goes down, and conversely if O2 goes up, CO goes down. Remember, CO
readings are an indicator of a rich running engine and O2 readings are an indicator of a lean
running engine.

 If HC increases as a result of a lean misfire, O2 will also increase

 CO2 will decrease in any of the above cases because of an air/fuel imbalance or misfire

 An increase in CO does not necessarily mean there will be an increase in HC. Additional HC
will only be created at the point where rich misfire begins (3% to 4% CO)

 High HC, low CO, and high O2 at same time indicates a misfire due to lean or EGR diluted
mixture

 High HC, high CO, and high O2 at same time indicates a misfire due to excessively rich
mixture.

 High HC, Normal to marginally low CO, high O2, indicates a misfire due to a mechanical
engine problem or ignition misfire

 Normal to marginally high HC, Normal to marginally low CO, and high O2 indicates a misfire
due to false air or marginally lean mixture

Pollutant formation is strongly dependent on the fuel-air ratio distribution in the spray:

 NO is formed in the high temperature burned gases in the flammable region. Maximum
burned gas temperatures result close to stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and these contribute
maximum to NO formation.
 CO is formed in fuel rich mixtures in the flammable region.
 Soot forms in fuel-rich spray core where fuel vapour is heated by the hot burned
gases .
 Unburned HC and oxygenated hydrocarbons like aldehydes originate in the region where due
to excessive dilution with air the mixture is too lean at the spray boundaries. In excessive lean
mixtures combustion process either fails to begin or does not reach completion. Towards the
end of combustion, fuel in the nozzle sac and orifices gets vaporized, enters the combustion
chamber and contributes to HC emissions.
Emissions Vs Ignition Timing

The effect of ignition timing on NO and HC emissions is shown on Fig 3.2 When ignition occurs
earlier in the cycle more heat is released before and around the top dead center. Thus, with
advanced ignition timings higher peak cylinder pressures and temperatures result. As has been
discussed lecture 5 with increase in combution temperatures NO formation increases. Hence ,
higher NO emissions are obtained as the ignition timing is advanced.
As the ignition timing is retarded more burning takes place during expansion stroke resulting in
lower peak combustion pressures and a lower of mass of charge is pushed into crevice
volume. Also, at the retarded ignition timings exhaust gas temperature increases as the engine
thermal efficiency is reduced. In the hotter exhaust gas with the retarded ignition timing higher
oxidation rates of the HC and CO in the exhaust system are obtained.. Due to these reasons,
lower HC emissions are obtained with retarded ignition timings. The disadvantage of
the retarded ignition timing is lower engine efficiency, lower power and a poorer fuel economy.
When the emission control legislation was introduced for the first time around 1970 in the USA
and Europe, ignition timing versus speed and manifold vacuum curves were among the first
engine parameters that were modified for control of NO x emissions due to ease of their
adjustment.

Effect of spark timing on NOx emissions.

Effect of ignition timing on HC emissions.

 Advanced Ignition timing produced increased NOx across all AFR

 At lambda = 1, advancing has greater increase in NOx, results poor emissions
 HC also shows similar tendencies
 When advanced, Exhaust Temperature decreases, hence lesser post reactions occurring. But
results in more HC emissions.
CO emissions in real engines:

 Mixture mal-distribution in multicylinder engines causes cylinder-to-cylinder variation in air-

fuel ratio. It results in significant increase in the average CO emissions. This is especially
prominent in the carburetted or single point throttle body-injected (TBI) engines.
 Another contributing factor to higher CO emissions is non-uniform mixture distribution
within the cylinder.
 During cold start of engine and acceleration rich mixtures are used resulting in higher CO
emissions Overall, the air-fuel ratio is the most important engine parameter affecting CO
emissions. Other factors influence CO mostly indirectly through changes in mixture
composition and/or promotion of slow oxidation reactions resulting in incomplete
combustion.