EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION CHARGING IN

TWO-WHEELER
ABSTRACT
Gasoline evaporates quite easily. In the past these evaporative emissions were
vented into the atmosphere. 20% of all HC emissions from the automobile are from the
gas tank. In 1970 legislation was passed, prohibiting venting of gas tank fumes into the
atmosphere. An evaporative control system was developed to eliminate this source of
pollution. The function of the fuel evaporative control system is to trap and store
evaporative emissions from the gas tank and carburetor. A charcoal canister is used to
trap the fuel vapors. The fuel vapors adhere to the charcoal, until the engine is started,
and engine vacuum can be used to draw the vapors into the engine, so that they can be
burned along with the fuel/air mixture. This system requires the use of a sealed gas tank
filler cap. This cap is so important to the operation of the system, that a test of the cap is
now being integrated into many state emission inspection programs. Pre-1970 cars
released fuel vapors into the atmosphere through the use of a vented gas cap. Today with
the use of sealed caps, redesigned gas tanks are used. The tank has to have the space for
the vapors to collect so that they can then be vented to the charcoal canister. A purge
valve is used to control the vapor flow into the engine. The purge valve is operated by
engine vacuum. One common problem with this system is that the purge valve goes bad
and engine vacuum draws fuel directly into the intake system. This enriches the fuel
mixture and will foul the spark plugs. Most charcoal canisters have a filter that should be
replaced periodically. This system should be checked when fuel mileage drops.
Fuel in any engine is burnt with air. Air is a mixture of gases and it contains
approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Some of the oxygen is used to burn the
fuel during the combustion process and the rest is supposed to just pass through
unreacted. But when the peak temperatures are high enough for long periods of time, the
nitrogen and oxygen combine to form a class of compounds called nitrogen oxides,
collectively referred to as NOx. These compounds are one of the chief constituents of
smog, which have an adverse effect on ecological systems. They also contribute to the
formation of acid rain.
NOx emissions can be reduced by lowering the cylinder temperatures. This can be
done by three ways 1) Enriching the air fuel mixture 2) Lowering the compression ratio
and retarding ignition timing 3) reducing the amount of Oxygen in the cylinder that
inhibits the combustion process. The first two methods reduce the efficiency of

combustion and so the best way is to reduce the amount of Oxygen. This is done by
recirculating some exhaust gas and mixing it into the engine inlet air. This process is
known as Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR).
The goal of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is to reduce the amount of NOx
produced. The EGR valve recirculates gases into the intake stream. Exhaust gases have
already combusted, so they do not burn again when they are recirculated. These gases
displace some of the normal intake charge. This chemically slows and cools the
combustion process by several hundred degrees thus reducing NOx formation.