Nexus - 0227 - New Times Magazine-pages

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The Lies of Unleaded Petr Lead itself is undeniably a toxic sub- only alternative was the long-stroke—good for cants. These are already available, and everyday stance. Much research has been done torque output, but poor for high-speed running. motorists can add these to a tank of fuel, safe in around the world to show its toxicity and Bugatti used to tease Bentley about his "racing the knowledge that they can do something to effects. However, studies have failed to lorries”... improve the air quality and reduce the pollutants show the correlation between lead in petrol Nitrogen, of which there is about 79% in the emitted from their exhausts. and lead in blood.’ It seems that the lead atmosphere, was never a problem, as, being inert, Other options are also available to use a fuel from petrol exhausts has low bioavailabili- i was unaffected by combustion. Only when with a reduced carbon content. One possibility in ty. Proper studies in these areas urgently Combustion temperatures reach figures of this field is methane, which has only one carbon need to be carried out. 2,500°C and above is the nitrogen oxidised, and arom ( compared to octane, for example, which There are many other sources of lead in it then produces four aaa which, in combina- qs eight). This will have the immediate effect of our environment, such as lead water pipes, lio with oe mo bons ine pr “of thes of _ reducing carbon dioxide. lead solder used in canned foods, lead {/84 produces a smog. ine worst of these oxides i i paint, etc. From his research, environmen- nitrogen dioxide, which is a reddish-brown The idea of eremeid car, when examined for tal health consultant Dr Alan Bell says we 845, an irritant, a supposed carcinogen, and at veh ae nom starter (no pun ‘ind d hould be looki ‘ id of Which causes respiratory inflammation. ed!). Although, when it is running, it is indee shou e looking at trying to get rid o almost pollution-free, the power consumed to " . The catalytic converter was the worst possible nejre 7 flaking lead paint in old houses. He says answer to the problem of emissions, The solution ™ake the batteries is considerable. The power- studies have shown this to be a major was obvious—at least to British engineers: the '0-weight factor is as yet unacceptable, the fuel source of lead in blood. It does seem way forward was by lean-burn technology. Not Consumed at the power station to recharge the strange to me to replace a brain toxin that for the first time we led the rest of the world in _ batteries is high, and, lastly, lead-acid batteries falls to the ground straight after coming out i litical decisi Nt the are difficult to dispose of when their useful life is of the exhaust, with a gas that is released this field, but a political decision opted for the iffic pose of when their useful life . h di I kn use of converters. over. Hany t atmosp: ere and Is we. own as a From a logical point of view, using two very One idea which I am actively working on is ighly toxic carcinogen. precious metals as catalysts is a crazy idea: plat- steam. It has every possible advantage (and none I've received three letters telling me that jinwm is obvious; less obvious is rhodium, until of the disadvantages mentioned above): maxi- the National Society for Clean Air in the you realise that 99% of all rhodium mined comes mum power and torque at standstill, recycled UK has not withdrawn support for ULP. from South Africa. If, at any future time, prob- exhaust, therefore zero emissions (if there were An extract from the society's letter to mem- "Jems arose whereby it would not be possible to any emissions they would be only water vapour). bers states: "NSCA members may have rade with South Africa, then the consequences The engine would only need to be a three-cylin- seen an article in The Sunday Times of — would be obvious. der two-stroke, equivalent to a six-cylinder four- 12/12/93, claiming that the society has Having watched America at work with catalyt- iO Str One, equiva Senger Jo tay A 1 . . " stroke: very few moving parts ensures reliability withdrawn its approval’ for unleaded petrol ic converters for a number of years, it was obvi- and perf The heat : a hydrogen because of concern about benzene emis- ous even to the meanest intelligence—including din 6 nea oer with oO ne sions. This is untrue; the article quoted —bureaucrats—that the system was not an effective cain YSb Providing motive power within 10 sec- selectively from a long briefing given to remedy; so, naturally, the thing to do was then ° ds of starting. oh thie decion? ; the journalist in question and seriously mis- adopt the American (Californian) system in total he pr oblem with this design? Apathy/animos- represented the society's position."® and apply it to Europe, taking care to ignore the _ ty from the ‘vested interests. There is no doubt Next is a letter I thought was worth fact that the conditions in the two locations were ‘hat this design will not meet with their approval reprinting, as it offers another perspective completely different, and therefore the figures 95 #t ts contrary to their thinking at this time. It on some parts of our previous articles and were meaningless. requires people with vision and commitment to suggests some interesting alternatives. Catalytic converters take time to warm up, and _ back this idea in order that it may work... until they do so they are every bit as ‘dirty' as a Yours faithfully, ; I read with interest the above article compiled vehicle without one. In fact, the ‘bad egg’ smell Douglas Wragg, I.Eng., L.A.E., M.1.M.L., by Catherine Simons. [See ULP Pt 1, vol. 2#25.] which emanates from the exhaust is hydrogen sul- M.I.R.T.E., F.Diag.E., Road Transport It is not correct to say that early cars ran on _ phide, a gas which is thought by some experts to Consultant Engineer, Balcombe, Sussex, exceptionally clean fuel; the quality was variable _ be highly carcinogenic. England, UK. to say the least... The emissions of early cars Unfortunately big money/business is involved, were anything but clean, as the combustion and this almost always clouds the facts and the Footnotes: process was a very hit-and-miss affair... truth. For some inexplicable reason, vested |. Professor Bill McCarthy, Melanoma Unit, Royal An engine cannot and never could produce _ interests always seem to be mutually exclusive to Prince Alfred Hospital, "Submission to the Senate only carbon dioxide and water vapour as the the truth. Select Committee on Aircraft Noise in Sydney", 8 exhaust gas components; this works only in theo- With lead in fuel, although it was by no means May 1995. ry when complete combustion (or oxidation) takes —_ ideal, at least we knew where it was going. Now, 2. Dr Alan Bell, Public Health Bulletin, March place. There are a number of reasons for this with the emission gases being lighter, they may —_|995; S. Corbett and C. Cowie, Public Health which include: (1) the speed of the engine limit- well be collecting but at a higher point off the Bulletin, November 1993. ing the time available to burn the fuel; (2) the ground, and it may be years before we see what 3. Telephone conversation between C. Simons and type and design of the combustion chamber; (3) the results of this will be. Peter Anyon, Director, Regulation Policy and the valve timing of the engine; (4) fuel retention The picture is not entirely gloomy, however; Projects, Federal Office of Road Safety, Canberra, around the piston ring lands; (5) fuel separation there are very positive aspects to all of this, and ACT, Australia, July 1995. in the inlet manifold. to the way forward in the short, medium and long 4, Simon Grose, The Canberra Times, 26 Match Power increases in motor vehicle engines were _ term. 1994, brought about not so much by increased com- The informed thinking for the future is: 5. Telephone conversation between C. Simons and pression ratios, but by the bore-to-stroke ratio. A 1. Lean-burn technology. Dr Alan Bell, Environmental Health Consultant, short-stroke engine would be faster than a long- 2. A lean-burn catalyst. This is very different | Mosman, Sydney, Australia, July 1995. stroke. In this country [England] we suffered the to the present idea, in that it seeks to remove oxy- 6. National Society for Clean Air (UK), Briefing to setback of the Treasury rating for engines which, — gen from an oxygen-rich environment, so that the | Members, 1994. by the nature of the formula used, made the short- _ nitrogen will once again emerge from the exhaust General reference: Telephone conversation between stroke engine prohibitively expensive to use from _ pipe as nitrogen—but without the oxides. C. Simons and Brian Wells, Australian Automobile an owner's point of view, and consequently the 3. The use of specialised upper-cylinder lubri- Association, July 1995. 20 * NEXUS AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1995