Abstract
Fuel-operated auxiliary heaters (AHs) can be notable sources of particle emissions from vehicles. The emissions of AHs are unregulated, and the number of devices is high; therefore, they make considerable contributions to local air quality, and even the global emissions budget. Experiments for studying the emissions were performed in Finland for a total of eight selected vehicles with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) AHs installed, including both diesel- and gasoline-operated heaters. We present the numerical results of particle emissions and compare the particle concentrations in the AH exhaust to values found in the tailpipe exhaust of the same vehicle. Our results show that the emissions from auxiliary heaters are typically several orders of magnitude higher than of a car exhaust when idling. This raises the question of whether the use of heaters is justified based on the goal to reduce total emissions from vehicle use; furthermore, whether fuel-operated heaters should also be applied in electric vehicles for cabin heating. More research will be needed to characterize the emissions more thoroughly to understand the air quality and climate effects from AHs, and to provide further recommendations on the use of these heaters.
Highlights
Two major human-induced environmental challenges are poor air quality and the acceleration of climate change
We present the numerical results of particle emissions and compare the particle concentrations in the auxiliary heaters (AHs) exhaust to values found in the tailpipe exhaust of the same vehicle
This practically implies that if the fuel-based particulate emission factors were over 20 times higher in the AH compared to the internal combustion engine (ICE), the total particulate emissions of AH would exceed that of the ICE
Summary
Two major human-induced environmental challenges are poor air quality and the acceleration of climate change. Starting from Euro 6 emission standards implemented in 2014, the non-volatile exhaust PN has been regulated for gasoline direct injection (GDI) passenger cars. When a vehicle is started after a long parking time under sub-zero conditions or close to them, heating of the engine, vehicle body and cabin is needed This need originates from various aspects such as the prevention of engine wear right after a cold start, melting accumulated ice from the vehicle windows, warming up the ventilation air to reduce fogging of the windshield, and increasing the comfortability for passengers. Fuel-operated AHs can be a surprisingly large source of particle emissions that cannot be distinguished in air quality measurements in traffic environments. We present numerical results of particle emissions and compare the particle concentrations in the AH exhaust to the values found in the tailpipe exhaust of the same vehicle
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