A STUDY ON CONVENTIONAL AND NEW INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Why do internal combustion (IC) engine studies still need to be done? For power generation, trade, and transportation, society continues to rely significantly on IC engines. Because of this, engine research has a rich history dating back more than a century and is still active today. Model airplane engines that fit in the hand and massive marine engines that are as large as a four story structure are two sizes of reciprocating internal combustion (IC) engines. In addition to the 750 million passenger cars on the planet's roads, IC engines also power a wide range of utility devices (such as pumps, mowers, chainsaws, portable generators, etc.), tractors, propeller aircraft, ocean liners, and ships. Additionally, there are 250 million vehicles in the U.S. alone, or nearly one vehicle per person. In 2012, 60 million cars will be produced worldwide, a 50% increase from ten years ago. A portion of this growth can be attributed to the fact that China, which now accounts for one-fourth of global auto production and in 2011, became the world's largest auto market. In the European Union, where cars make up a third of the global market, diesel engines account for half of all vehicle power. Engine research therefore includes both diesel and gasoline engines, and even modest increases in their efficiency have a significant influence on both economy and emissions. Fuel is burned in enormous amounts due to the sheer number of cars and engines on the world. In fact, IC engines use 70% of the 86 million barrels of crude oil that we use each day. Additionally, the U.S. uses 10 million barrels per day for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles combined, which equates to around 2.5 gallons per person daily. Since there aren't enough fuel reserves to cover this demand, 62% of the fuel is imported, costing the United States nearly $1 billion per day at the current price of $80 per barrel. This price will undoubtedly go up if global demand for vehicle fuels rises as a result of continued economic growth. This extensive usage of oil is accompanied by the release of pollutants including nitric oxides (NOx) and particulates (soot), as well as the creation of CO2. Most countries have established strict car emissions standards that are always being tightened since pollutant emissions have detrimental effects on both the environment and human health. Additionally, the 37 billion tons of CO2 produced globally each year contributes to Green House Gases (GHG), which some worry may cause climate change with unknown effects. Fuel consumption would need to be drastically reduced in order to noticeably alter GHG trends. For instance, according to the International Energy Agency's plan, all automobiles globally should consume 30 to 50 percent less fuel per kilometer by 2050 than they do today. The goal is to limit the global average temperature rise which some climatologists project for 2050 (the 2DS scenario) . Government mandates requiring such reductions impose a tall order on the already high-tech and high-cost automotive industry. And, although 2050 seems a long time in the future, the time required to bring new engines to production, together with the years needed for new technology to permeate the overall vehicle fleet, means that major effort (and investment) is needed in IC engine research over the next decades.[1]