- Title: POLAND-SMOGKILLER Polish scientists reveal "smog-killing" device for cars
- Date: 23rd April 2015
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) PROFESSOR AT THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF OPOLE, JAROSLAW MAMALA, SAYING: "The result is 80 per cent (decrease of soot emissions), it is the best result in decreasing soot levels in exhaust gases while simultaneously keeping the other elements of the exhaust gasses intact. Usually in engines, if we decrease soot levels then we significantly deteriorate
- Embargoed: 8th May 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Poland
- Country: Poland
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAD48Q1VUJE8T8F9ULI5BF53ERH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Polish scientists unveiled a device to reduce vehicular emissions and fuel consumption by re-igniting exhaust fumes.
This is achieved using a device named 'SmogKiller', which is attached to a car engine in order to break down and burn gases emitted by the exhaust with steam.
Encouraging results have shown that as well as generating cleaner exhaust fumes, the device has had additional less-anticipated effects on the engine's operation.
"The most spectacular effects are ecological effects, it is a significant reduction of emissions, especially particulate matters like soot. The second observable effect is the reduction in fuel consumption. The third observable effect is the increase in torque, which you can say is felt as an increase in engine power," says co-inventor of the SmogKiller, Tomasz ??????????????????????????Sowinski.
SmogKiller was initially an initiative for diesel engines to reduce the extent of harmful fumes usually emitted by older-generation vehicles.
Varying configurations of the device allowed it to connect effectively onto other engines that use unleaded petrol or LPG.
"Our device allows in a seemingly apparently simple way to adapt existing engines to very inflated ecological standards with relatively low cost," said Sowinski.
Within the device, an exothermic reactor recovers heat energy and gases from the exhaust, and converts them into states that are able to join with water vapour.
Once combined, the mixture passes through the device again where it is subjected to additional heat before being filtered into the combustion chamber.
"Thanks to the composition of exhaust gases, thanks to their temperature we prepare a portion of water and portion of exhaust gases to burn, so we take exhaust gasses from the engine, we don't allow their emission into the atmosphere, but use their composition end energy we are able to burn them again with the addition of water," says co-inventor Piotr Kolasa.
Professor Jaroslaw Mamala from the Technical University of Opole explains the importance of changing the molecular form of the exhaust gases.
"Water vapour obviously does not burn. But when it is split it into primary particles, hydrogen and oxygen, then we have two elements which burn very well. In this case breaking of water vapour with an ambient temperature is done at 1400 degrees Celsius," Mamala said.
"The result is 80 per cent (decrease of soot emissions), it is the best result in decreasing soot levels in exhaust gases while simultaneously keeping the other elements of the exhaust gasses intact. Usually in engines, if we decrease soot levels then we significantly deteriorate the rest of elements. In this case the levels of other elements (of emission gases) are unchanged," he added.
According to Mamala, preliminary tests conducted at his university have proven a significant reduction in emission and fuel consumption.
He thinks that the SmogKiller initiative could be an answer to smog problems in cities world-wide as it not only reduces fumes but also avoids the emission of nitrogen oxide. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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