Emissions from liquid petroleum gas as fuel

A research study using a motorcycle engine converted to liquid petroleum gas

Department of production and management engineering
University of Thrace
C.Arapatsakos,A.Karkanis,I.pantokratoras,T.Dimitriadis, E.m.y.Parra
Abstract

Methodology

Vehicles emit pollutant gases due to

unburnt fuel from engines. Pollutants
consist of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. This
affects the human health and the
environment. Liquid petroleum gas can be
up to five times more more efficient in
terms of fuel wastage after combustion.
Therefore emissions from a 119.6 cc
single cylinder motorcycle converted to
liquid petroleum gas is examined as well
as running on gasoline.

The four stroke motorcycle engine had a

maximum output power of 7.5
horsepower at 7500 rounds per minute.
The rear wheel of the motorcycle was
placed on a dynamometer and the 2nd
gear was selected. Various engine loads
was applied to the dynamometer
through the rear wheel and a gas
emission analyzer received data from a
probe placed directly to the exhaust.
Liquid petroleum gas and gasoline were
only used in the run.

Conclusions
The research concludes that alternative
fuels show significant promise in reducing
pollutants from fuel combustion engines.
Since alternative fuel such as liquid
petroleum gas costs cheaper, it shall be
more economical and may conserve other
resources.

Carbon monoxide emission from gasoline and lpg.

Make efforts in reducing pollutants

through use of alternative fuels
Conserve non renewable energy sources

Relevance of Research
Technology of engines are being revised
day by day to reduce to reduce emission
of pollutants . The effort has been made in
producing new engine technology,
improved fuel composition and alternative
fuel variants.
Liquid petroleum gas is a flammable
mixture of carbon and hydrogen usually
made of propane and butane. It is a
colorless and odorless gas and burns
cleanly without soot formation.

Objectives

Acknowledgement

Lpg reducer is used to convert

liquid to vapor.

Special thanks to
C.Arapatsakos,A.Karkanis for who
guided on analysis of results.

The motorcycle dynamometer

measures engine power.

Results
The variation of pollutants are as follows:

Nitrogen dioxide emission from gasoline and lpg.

Analysis of Results

The objectives of this research was to

measure and compare the emissions of
an engine running on liquid petroleum and
when switched to gasoline.
At different engine loads, the percentage
of:
Hydrocarbon
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
were measured.

Recommendations

From the graphs, liquid petroleum gas

showed lesser unburnt hydrocarbon and
lower carbon monoxide than gasoline.
However liquid petroleum gas produced
larger parts per million nitrogen dioxide
than gasoline.

Hydrocarbon emission from gasoline and lpg.

References
(1) C.Arapatsakos,A.karkanis,P.sparis,
Methanol blends as motor fuels,
WSEAS transactions on
environment and development(2008)
(2) C.Arapatsakos, Alaxandros
Ververidis,LPG as fuel on Diesel
engine,7 th international conference
on energy and environment kosgreece 2012
(3) C.Arapatsakos,P.sparis,catalysr
regeneration via chemical
treatment:driving cycles, journal of
Automobile engineering(1999)