A mere glance at the dashboard and you will know how deep your vehicle in pollution is.
A team from the University of Manchester has created a laser-measuring device that is capable of recording levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane from directly inside the exhaust.
On meeting maximum efficiency, the driver will be able to monitor his vehicle’s emissions while driving, that will assist him reduce emissions by merely adjusting upon his driving style. This method of examining gases inside the exhaust is far quicker and responsive than the conventional technique of catching gases in a box to test while the engine is at rest.
To measure the variation in gas concentration (increasing and decreasing the throttle, adjusting the air to fuel ratio, and start-up) during the changes in the operating conditions of a rover engine, the team has employed a near-infrared diode laser sensor. This is a first occasion when this sort of near-IR laser-sensing technology has been used directly in the exhaust of a combustion engine to measure emissions.
The near-IR device is embedded with two diode lasers that operate at different frequencies; while one helps detect carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide the other detects methane. The technology is a sure benefit to help cut the road emissions, and can also be used at the roadside congestion charging systems.
[Source: Gizmag]
