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SAE TECHNICAL 2008-36-0307

PAPER SERIES E

DIAGNOSIS
OF HARMFUL GASES EMISSIONS FROM AUTOMOBILES
IN CIRCULATION IN THE REGION OF
THE GREAT FLORIANÓPOLIS

Marcelo Vandresen, Dr.Eng.Mec.

CEFET-SC

Milton Pereira, Dr.Eng.Mec.

CEFET-SC

André W. D. B. Victorette
CEFET-SC

FILIADA À
XVII Congresso e Exposição Internacionais
da Tecnologia da Mobilidade
São Paulo, Brasil
07 a 09 de outubro de 2008

AV. PAULISTA, 2073 - HORSA II - CJ. 1003 - CEP 01311-940 - SÃO PAULO – SP
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2008-36-0307

DIAGNOSIS
OF HARMFUL GASES EMISSIONS FROM AUTOMOBILES
IN CIRCULATION IN THE REGION OF
THE GREAT FLORIANÓPOLIS
Marcelo Vandresen, Dr.Eng.Mec.
CEFET-SC

Milton Pereira, Dr.Eng.Mec.

CEFET-SC

André W. D. B. Victorette
CEFET-SC

Copyright © 2008 SAE International

ABSTRACT regular intervals less emission of the vehicles can be

The aim of this article is to diagnose the level of emission
of gases, responsible for the Greenhouse Effect, in the
vehicles that are in circulation in the area of the Great
Florianópolis and to propose a methodology of obligatory
vehicular inspection for the fleet, in regular intervals that
may be responsible the reduction of the values of emission
of these vehicles. For that it was collected and analyzed a
database containing 1117 vehicles, of these, 97 were
reproved in the regular tests of emissions, becoming the
study object for the development of the research.
Key-words: Emissions, Automobiles, Analyses,
Legislation.
INTRODUCTION
The current Brazilian legislation doesn't demand that
vehicles go by a periodic inspection with analysis of
emissions of pollutants. This fact allows that vehicles out of
tune or with defective components present emission levels
very superior to the allowed by the legislation and even so
continue circulating freely, without in any given moment
been tested for conformity of emissions. The proposed
study evaluates numeric values related to the amount and
quality of the noxious gases emitted by the exhaust of the
vehicles. Based on this quantification, some actions can be
proposed for the reduction of the levels of emission of the
automobiles in circulation. Through the vehicular
inspection and tests of obligatory emission for the fleet, in
achieved.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
During the period of the research, emission tests were
accomplished using an analyzer of gases available in the
Laboratory of Automobile of DAMM (Academic
Department of Metal Mechanical of CEFET-SC) and in the
group GAVA (Group of Analysis of Tensions in Self-
driven and Towed Vehicles, 2008). The analyzer of gases
used was the TM 132 of Tecnomotor (2008) this is an
infrared analyzer for the gases CO, HC, CO2, O2 (cell
electrochemistry) and NOx (electronic cell). The same is in
conformity with the international norms OIML Class I and
Bar 90 (California-USA). To accomplish the
communication between the analyzer of gases and CPU, it
was used a serial communicator TM 616, also of
Tecnomotor (2008), that allows the configuration of other
equipments in the same serial port, observe the distribution
in the figure 1.

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Figure 1. TM 616 Communicator (Tecnomotor, 2008).
Together with the equipments mentioned previously, the
analyzer of gases contains: a thermometer for measuring
the temperature of operation of the motor (TM 102/1), an
inductive tweezers to capture the rotation of the motor (P
107) and a gas collecting probe (TM 107), indispensable in
the process of analysis of emissions. The figure 2 shows the
whole mounted group in an own cabinet.
Figure 2. Exhaust gases analyzer.
For the interface between the man and the machine, a
software was used IGOR of the company Tecnomotor
(2008) for vehicular inspection, capable of making
measurements of emissions of gases in self-driven vehicles
with motors of the cycle OTTO and motors of the cycle
DIESEL, according to Conama 7 of August 31, 1993 and
the Resolution of 24/Cades/97 in September 5, 1997. See
some details of the program in the figure 3.
2
Figure 3. IGOR program (Tecnomotor, 2008).
During the procedure of the tests the pattern of emission of
the inspected vehicle is evaluated to check if it is in
agreement with technical parameters demanded by the
legislation. Like this being, it is possible to register and to
analyze statistically the tests, and to generate a real
diagnosis of the level of emissions of the vehicles.
In a summarized way, the group analyzer of gases works in
the following way: initially, there are supplied to the
program some data as model, type of fuel and year of
production, which will determine the margins of limit for
each analyzed gas, allowed the vehicle to be approved in
the test. Soon after, the collecting probe of the gases is
inserted in the exhaust pipe, the thermometer is inserted in
the place of the oil dip stick and the inductive tweezers in
one of the cables of candle of the automobile to capture the
rotation. The tests are realized in two different moments, on
the first one with the engine in idle with speeds between
600 RPM and 1200 RPM, and other with the working in
speeds between 2300 RPM and 2700 RPM. The result
appears in the screen in form of a table. The measurements
of emissions are made quickly, not taking more than 10
minutes in each vehicle, and they don't implicate in any
modification of the same. The test conducted with the
Brazilian legislation does not take to account the load
condition on the engine, differently from the well known
California Pattern.
To have a significant response on the present research it
would be necessary to collect a large amount of emission
tests. For that, a partnership was accomplished with the
group GAVA (Group of Analysis of Tensions, Self-driven
and Towed Vehicles, entity accredited for INMETRO in
the area of dangerous loads and vehicular safety), that
supplied help not only in the collection of the data, but also
clearing doubts on the equipment and in the supply of
resolutions that treat on the emission of the pollutants.
The most sophisticated equipments used for gas analyzes o
measure four important gases basically, that are: CO, CO2,
O2 and HC being able to sometimes measure NOx.
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Measuring these four gases is important because it is
through them that one can have an idea on how the
combustion is happening.
Theoretically, if combustion is complete it would happen in
the following way (Wikipedia, 2008):
AIR + FUEL> CO2 + H2O + Energy +N2
In the automotive vehicles, combustion is never ideal, then
other gases are emitted to the atmosphere. The principal
are:
O2 - In combustion the whole amount of O2 that enters in
the motor should be used in the combustion.
CO2 - As hi goes the concentration of this gas in the
exhaust, better the combustion.
CO - This is the most important gas in pollution terms. CO
should be CO2, however, in the lack of O2 (it mixes rich)
the Carbon (C) in the it burns it just combines with an
oxygen (O), when the ideal would be to combine with two.
Therefore CO is very toxicant and a lot reagent. As smaller
the percentage of CO, better the burn is.
HC - it is also originating from non ideal burns. It is
resulting of the fractional parts of the long chains of the
same ones, it is supposed that the results go very different,
or, we can say, in a “disapproval” direction.
During the period of collection of data, 1117 automobiles
were analyzed, and of these, 97 were reproved in the tests
of emissions, practically 9% of the total of analyzed
vehicles. The 97 reproved vehicles were separately
appraised in agreement with the type of fuel and year of
production, since these factors determine the margins limits
of the pollutant of each automobile allowed by the
legislation.
The histogram in Figure 4 shows the relationship among
the total of vehicles analyzed with the year of production.
As expected, it is verified that the great majority of the
analyzed vehicles was manufactured starting from 1997
(749 vehicles). This period, for your time, it presented the
largest reproof index, practically 1 to each 10 automobiles
were reproved counting a total of 69 vehicles.
Total de veículos analizados em relação ao ano de
fabricação
800 749
700
600
500
400
300
291

fuel that were not broken. 200

100 48
6 25
0
Anterior à 1980 1980 à 1989 1990 à 1991 1992 à 1996 Apartir de 1997
Besides the gases CO, CO2 and HC and shown at the end
of each test the dilution values and corrected CO, both
calculated by the equipment according to the equations 1 Figure 4. Tested cars year of production.
and 2, respectively:
The analyzed vehicles were separate and quantified
DILUTION =% CO +% CO2 (1) according to the used fuel. The result can be observed in
the figure 5. From the 950 vehicles that use as fuel gasoline
CO CORR = (15 X% CO) ÷ (% CO +% CO2) (2) + GNV, 78 were reproved (Figure 6), approximately 8% of
the total.
The engines with spark ignition (Otto: gasoline, alcohol or
gas) present as a result of the combustion a series of gases 950
1000
that, analyzed, allow an important verification of the 900
800
operation of the engine. Some of those gases are pollutant 700
and for that they are controlled by the legislation on 600
500
emissions through the National Program of Control of 400

Vehicular Emissions - PROCONVE (2008). 300

200 9
100 47 24
3 1
0
RESULTS Gasoline Álcool GNV Gasoline + Álcool + Diesel
GNV GNV

The starting point for the obtaining the values to be

analyzed was the investigation of the database of results of Figure 5. Tested cars fuel.
emission testing from the GAVA database. These tests
were accomplished in the vehicles in an obligatory way. All
the rehearsed vehicles went to accomplish the test looking
for approval. This way, many of the proprietors looked for
to leave the automobile in ideal conditions. If the collection
of data was accomplished in an unexpected way for the

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Índice de reprovação X Tipo de combustível

90
78
80
70
60
50
40
30
20 10
10 6 3
0 2
0
Gasolina Álcool GNV Gasolina + Álcool + Diesel
GNV GNV

Figure 6. Reproved cars.

Figure 8. Occurrences in % of the results for CO corrected
in gasoline vehicles in idle.
The percentile found for the other 4 types of fuels more
used if it maintained very close, disabling the formation of
any conclusion.

This way, the conclusions will be focalized in these 78

reproved vehicles of a total of 950 moved vehicles the
gasoline + GNV.

Of the collected data in the tests, it was noticed that the

largest excesses with relationship to the acceptable values
appeared in the indexes of HC and corrected CO, with
more incidence of reproves for excess of corrected CO. The
Figure 7 presents a table inside with the number of vehicles Figure 9. Occurrences in % of the results for CO corrected
of the 78 analyzed that obtained reproof in the indexes of in GNV vehicles in idle.
HC and corrected CO and the medium amount in% of
excess of these levels with relationship to the values In the Figure 10 the occurrences are presented in % of the
reference limit. results for HC for the gasoline vehicles and in idle. In the
Figure 11, the same results for HC for the GNV vehicles in
Fuel  Gasoline GNV idle.
Condition  No In the No In the
Average% Average% In these histograms and in the table it is possible to identify
Slow HC 26 167% 21 84% that the largest and more frequent occurrences of excess of
HC 16 230% 8 146% emissions healthy for corrected CO. Besides, it is noticed a
2500RPM significant increment of emissions for GNV compared with
CO color. 48 394% 42 277% the gasoline mover vehicles.
slow
CO color. 50 394% 31 211%
2500rpm
Figure 7 - Percentile medium of excess of emissions of the
reproved vehicles.

]In the Figure 8 the occurrences are presented in % of the

results for CO corrected for the gasoline vehicles and in
idle. In the Figure 9, the same results for CO corrected for
the moved vehicles GNV and in idle.

Figure 10. Occurrences in % of the results for HC in

gasoline vehicles in idle.

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Figure 11. Occurrences in % of the results for HC in GNV
vehicles in idle.
To quantify the amount of each gas emitted by the exhaust
of the automobiles it is a recent fact, but it already allowed
that some changes were implemented in the automobile and
in the used fuel, as for instance, the introduction of gasoline
without lead, and the obligatory use of catalysts.
A common automobile consumes, on average, 1600 liters
of gasoline in one year.
This means that frees for the air:
- 560 kg of carbon monoxide
- 80 kg of HC
- 32 kg of nitrogen oxide
- 0,48 kg of Lead
- 0,96 kg of dioxide of sulfur
Some of the analyzed vehicles presented an emission level
very superior to the allowed by the legislation, getting to
emit amounts of superior HC to 900%, as it can be
observed in the previous graphs.
A vehicle that emits 900% more the of HC, it is emitting
approximately during one year 720 kg of HC, the
equivalent to nine vehicles polluting in conditions allowed
for the legislation.
In agreement with IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography
and Statistics) Santa Catarina counts 1.566.190 automobiles
(data of 2007). 1 in each 10 vehicles are reproved in the test
of emissions, with an average of approximately 230% the
more of HC, that means to say that would have in Santa
Catarina an increment of more than 200.000 vehicles
emitting amounts of HC in the superior limit allowed by the
legislation.
CONCLUSION
It is important to remind that all the proprietors of the tested
vehicles went to accomplish the test looking for approval.
5
This way, many looked for to leave the automobile in ideal
conditions to pass in the test. If the collection of data was
accomplished in an unexpected way for the same ones, it is
waited that the results go very different.
It is noticed by the collected data that the same vehicles,
when rehearsed for gasoline and GNV, they present levels
of smaller emissions for GNV. It is not possible to conclude
immediately that GNV pollutes less than the gasoline for a
same vehicle. When an automobile is converted for GNV,
obligatorily it should go by rehearsals of emissions. Like
this, as soon as it is converted and adjusted, the vehicle
goes by the test, with compulsory nature of passing for the
test so that your documentation can be liberated. In some
situations, in search of a better acting of the automobile,
some proprietors get to alter the adjustment of the feeding
of fuel, extrapolating the limits of emissions allowed.
Data as model, type of fuel and year of production
determine the margins limit of each gas analyzed that is
accepted that the vehicle can be approved in a test of
emissions. With the values obtained in the research it is
possible to prove that the largest reproof cause in the test of
emissions of pollutant gases for automobiles is given by the
bad adjustment of the motor, since all these values stayed
very close.
Like this, he/she intends that the rehearsals of emissions are
done annually by the proprietors of vehicles, with
possibility of until random measurements they be
accomplished in the fleet, seeking a more rigid control of
the pollution emitted by the vehicles in circulation, with
fine obligation for the abusive cases.
REFERENCES
GAVA - Group of Analysis of Tensions in Self-
driven Vehicles and you Towed, 2008.
http://www.gava.com.br /
TM 132 - Analyzer of Gases. TECNOMOTOR,
2008.
http://www.tecnomotor.com.br/Manuais/TM132_manual_o
peracao_rev02[1] .pdf
TM 616 - Controller Serial. TECNOMOTOR, 2008.
http://www.tecnomotor.com.br/Manuais/616_manual[1]
.pdf
IGOR - Software Application of Support,
Integration and Administration. TECNOMOTOR, 2008.
http://www.tecnomotor.com.br/Manuais/Manual_Igor.pdf
Pollution of the available air in:
http://biox6.blogspot.com/search/label/Camada%20de%20
Ozono access in 27/06/2008.
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The Pollution of the available air in:

http://biox6.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html access
10/06/2008.

Fleet of available Santa Catarina in:

http://www.ibge.gov.br access in 15/06/2008.

RESOLUTION CONAMA In the 7, of August 31,

1993.
http://www.mma.gov.br/port/conama/legiabre.cfm?codlegi
=132

PROCONVE - PROGRAM OF CONTROL OF

THE POLLUTION OF THE AIR FOR SELF-DRIVEN
VEHICLES.
http://www.mma.gov.br/port/conama/res/res86/res1886.htm
l

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combust%C3%A3o

Marcelo Vandresen is a Teacher from the Metal Mechanics

Department in the Federal Center of Technological
Education of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis.
vandresen@cefetsc.edu.br

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