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West Virginia University

Emissions reduction benefits of adapting electronic closed loop fueling control on a mechanically controlled spark-ignited engine

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Recent government gaseous exhaust emissions regulations have been expanded to include a variety of mobile air pollution sources. Exhaust emissions from non-road engines have recently become a focus of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The term "non-road engines" covers many industrial and general aviation (GA) type engines that are currently unregulated. This study examines the gaseous exhaust gas emissions produced from a mechanically-controlled Lycoming IO-360-B GA engine and studies the benefits of conversion to electronic fuel injection with closed loop feedback control. The study concludes that the overall gaseous exhaust emissions from the unmodified engine far exceed current automotive standards. The conversion to electronic fuel injection substantially reduces the exhaust emissions produced by the engine (particularly unburned hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions), but still not to the point of meeting prevailing automotive regulations. The engine's quiescent, low swirl, low turbulence and low compression ratio combustion chamber design restricts the total benefits realized from the conversion. These emissions reduction benefits demonstrated here are immediately applicable to other spark-ignited non-road or utility engines, such as those used in portable power generation, construction, irrigation and ground power applications.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
MS
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Year dc:date.available
1998

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Richmond, Frederick Scott
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Chris Atkinson.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1936

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
West Virginia University
Base URL
researchrepository.wvu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Richmond, Frederick Scott. Emissions reduction benefits of adapting electronic closed loop fueling control on a mechanically controlled spark-ignited engine. Thesis thesis, 1998. https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.933