Yet another way to save some pollution with "simple" engineering
Have you ever heard about the Pantone system? We're not speaking about the color-matching system used by graphical designers but a system that is claimed to optimize combustion in engines and reduce pollution.The name of the system comes from Paul Pantone, an American who thought, "If 40 percent of the hydrocarbons that enter the motor are left unburnt, how can we help to achieve full combustion?".
The solution was rather simple: using the heat from the exhaust pipe to pre-heat the gas/air or diesel/air mixture before reaching the motor. Sometimes, even water vapor is added to further heat the mix. Applying some basic thermodynamics, the hotter the gas is, the more space it needs. Considering that the space available is the same, the mix that arrives is poorer in hydrocarbons and already hot, thus easier to burn.
A website offers results which look quite interesting. Follow the jump to read them. As always, take this with a little bit of precautions. It's good, however, to know that there's a way to go to improve current combustion engines until the best options arrive.
Related:
- "Improves gas mileage by..." yeah, we've heard that one before!
- Still behind, trying hard: A look into Ford's engine efficiency future with product development VP Derrick Kuzak
No pantone testing. Base results
Idle: CO = 4,5 % CO2 = 1.7%, ppm HC = 7000, O2 = 13%.
Medium revs: CO = 5.04 % CO2 = 1.9%, ppm HC = 8200, O2 = 13.7%.
Top revs: CO = 6.4 % CO2 = 3.6%, ppm HC = 3850, O2 = 11.4%.
Pantone installed
Idle: CO = 0.7 % CO2 = 4.6%, ppm HC = 88, O2 = 13.6%.
Medium revs: CO = 0.03 % CO2 = 6.4%, ppm HC = 95, O2 = 11.9%.
Optimum revs: CO = 0.06 % CO2 = 6.2%, ppm HC = 000, O2 = 12.2%.
Top revs: CO = 0.01 % CO2 = 6.2%, ppm HC = 000, O2 = 12.1%.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fabio 5:26PM (7/30/2007)
So, are there any cars that come with such a system installed? If not, is there any place where one can get one such system installed on his car?
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Mulad 5:48PM (7/30/2007)
Um, exhaust gas recirculation?
I'm not so sure about this Paul Pantone character...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pantone
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GoodCheer 6:19PM (7/30/2007)
Um, what?
"Applying some basic thermodynamics, the hotter the gas is, the more space it needs. Considering that the space available is the same, the mix that arrives is poorer in hydrocarbons and already hot, thus easier to burn."
The hotter the gas is, the more space it needs. That part is certainly correct. But the thing that in physics is referred to as "gas" is what we call air. The gasoline will not expand. The result will be the same amount of gasoline mixed with expanded (less dense) air... so there will be LESS oxygen for the fuel to combine with. If you reduce the amount of fuel added to the mixture you might possibly be all right.
Mechanical energy comes from the expansion of rapidly heating gasses (as they 'explode'). The cooler the incoming mixture is, the more energy can be extracted from it. That's why turbo-chargers are often equipped with intercoolers. The turbo compresses the gas before it's mixed with fuel (so you can get MORE air into the cylinder, so you can burn MORE gas, so you can get MORE power), but compressing the gas heats it up, so the intercooler cools it down as much as possible to make it more dense.
So while pre-heating the fuel-air mixture might possibly get it to burn more cleanly (if you re-tune your fuel injectors and your cam timing, and probably rebuild the engine with a lower compression ratio), you will definitely get less power from your engine.
Getting engines to run hotter is a good way of increasing the energy extraction from gasoline. However, the materials used in engines can only operate reliably up to a certain temperature. That's why it's a bad thing if you boil your radiator dry. Volvo was working on ceramic engines about a decade ago (ceramics tend to be very stable at high temperatures), but I haven't heard anything recently.
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bioburner 8:04PM (7/30/2007)
EGR to improve gas milage? Bull droppings. Any college thermo book will give you the theretical thermal limits for a 4 stroke combustion cycle. The larger the temperature difference between the gasses the instant before combustion and the peak combustion temp determins the energy output ie directly impacts the cycle efficiency. By adding non combustible gasses you reduce the peak combustion temp thus lowering effeincy.
40% unburned hydrocardons in the exhaust? I'm thinking the real world number is more like 4/10 of a percent. Lets see CO is usually measured in PPM (Parts Per Million).
I'm thinkinf this guy has been sniffing too much of his engine's exhaust.
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MikeW 9:48PM (7/30/2007)
I think he missread something. It used to be 4% with carburetors. Just imagine how miniscule it is with direct injection, then you add a catalytic converter to that.
eEGR reduces pumping losses.
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Andrew 7:51AM (7/31/2007)
There is no way any current engine lets 40% of the hydrocarbons go through unburned. Have you not seen an emissions report? HC is reported in PPM (parts per million), not grams.
This is snake oil, pure and simple. Pantone doens't have a clue about engines, or hopes that his potential customers don't.
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EGS 8:55AM (7/31/2007)
wasn't this one of Smokey Yunicks power "Tricks" that never seemed to work right?
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