The tests reported in this document were performed at the R.J. Corman rail yard at 475 W. Third Street, Dover, OH 44622. The test was supervised by Brad Wujcik, Chief Mechanic for R.J. Corman. Mr. Wujcik operated the locomotive and load system, as well as monitoring equipment monitors. We would like to thank Mr. Wujcik, and recognize Darrell Priddy, Division Manager and Marilyn Starcher, Manager of Sales and Marketing for their assistance in making these tests possible.
ASTM . . . American Society for Testing and Materials
CO . . . . Carbon Monoxide
cSt . . . . Centistokes
EMD . . . . Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation
F . . . . Degrees Fahrenheit
G2 . . . . 11 Good Energy's Second Generation Ethanol Based Biodiesel
HP . . . . Horsepower
NOx . . . . Oxides of Nitrogen
Ppm . . . . Parts per Million
SO2 . . . . Sulfur Dioxide
A colorless, odorless gas that is formed when carbon in fuel is not burned completely. It is a component of motor vehicle exhaust, which con tributes about 56 percent of all CO emissions nationwide. Other non-road engines and vehicles (such as construction equipment and boats) contribute about 22 percent of all CO emissions nationwide.
11 Good Energy's Second Generation Soy and Ethanol Based Biodiesel.
The generic term for a group of highly reactive gases, all of which contain nitrogen and oxygen in varying amounts. Many of the nitrogen oxides are colorless and odorless. However, one common pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) along with particles in the air can often be seen as a reddish-brown layer over many urban areas.
The measurement for particulate matter in exhaust, expressed as a percentage.
Belonging to the family of sulfur oxide gases (SOx). These gases dissolve easily in water. Sulfur is prevalent in all raw materials, including crude oil, coal, and ore that contains common metals like aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, and iron. SOx gases are formed when fuel containing sulfur, such as coal and oil, is burned, and when gasoline is extracted from oil, or metals are extracted from ore. SO 2 dissolves in water vapor to form acid, which interacts with other gases and particles in the air to form sulfates and other products that can be harmful to people and their environment.
This report documents the results of emissions tests run on an EMD locomotive operating on three fuel variants. The purpose of the test were to determine if older diesel-electric locomotives using our G2 Diesel could pass the extremely rigid EPA guidelines that will take effect in the next year without having to be refitted with new engines. The cost of refits will be staggering to short-haul rails.
The locomotive was placed under a consistent load simulating in-service operational conditions. The locomotive was monitored and operated by Brad Wujcik, representing R.J. Corman. Aaron Harner, chemist for 11 Good Energy administered the tests and operated test equipment. The tests were run repeatedly over a 6 hour period and the test results were averaged to obtain the graphed results. Raw data is available upon request.
The locomotive used for testing is an EMD GP16 operating on an EMD model 16-645BC diesel engine. The engine powers an EMD model D12 DC main generator that in turn powers the electric motors at the wheels. It is designated by R.J. Corman as #4119. This locomotive was operated on various ratios of #2 Diesel and G2 Diesel since October of 2006. The locomotive was built in 1962 and remanufactured in 1983.
Most line-haul locomotives are equipped with a "dynamic brake" feature in which the electric motors used for traction are reverse-exited to become generators for slowing the train. The electrical power generated is dissipated in resistance grids. Locomotives with the self-load feature can dissipate the main alternator power into these "dynamic brake" resistance grids. The locomotive used in the test was connected to dynamic brake grids capable of dissipating the full engine power, and these grids were used to load the stationary locomotive.
The test was run with three separate fuels: 100% #2 off-road diesel, 100% G2 Diesel and a blend of #2 and G2 at a 50/50 blend. The fuels were in individual vessels and a fuel line was run from the train directly to the vessels to avoid cross contamination of the mixtures. During each fuel change, the engine was run for 15 minutes to clear any of the previous fuel in the fuel system.
The tests were performed with a Testo 350 XL Portable Analyzer for gas analysis, and a Wager 7500 Smoke Meter for particulate measurement.
The locomotive's fuel system was drained and the engine was run on 100% G2 for 30 minutes to purge any #2 diesel left in the fuel system. A direct fuel line was then used to run fuel from the vessels to the engine. The G2 cleans carbon from the engine, therefore it was tested first to avoid dislodging carbon residue left from the 100% #2 diesel run. The test was then performed first with100% G2, then the 50/50 blend and lastly with 100% #2 diesel. The test runs were for one hour each with 30 minutes between to purge the fuel system. The emissions test equipment was constantly in use during the test runs and the multiple readings were recorded and averaged for the purposes of the illustrations.
Opacity is the measurement of Particulate Matter emitted from engine exhaust. Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to see using a microscope.
These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals. Some particles, known as primary particles are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires. Other particles form in complicated reactions in the atmosphere of chemicals such as sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. These particles, known as secondary particles, make up most of the fine particle pollution in the country.
Particle pollution, especially fine particles, contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:
Particles can be carried over long distances by wind and then settle on ground or water. The effects of this settling include: making lakes and streams acidic; changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins; depleting the nutrients in soil; damaging sensitive forests and farm crops; and affecting the diversity of ecosystems.
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless gas that is formed when carbon in fuel is not burned completely. It is a component of motor vehicle exhaust, which contributes about 56% of all CO emissions nationwide. Other non-road engines and vehicles (such as construction equipment and boats) contribute about 22% of all CO emissions nationwide. Higher levels of CO generally occur in areas with heavy traffic congestion. In cities, 85 to 95 % of all CO emissions may come from motor vehicle exhaust. Other sources of CO emissions include industrial processes (such as metals processing and chemical manufacturing), residential wood burning, and natural sources such as forest fires. Woodstoves, gas stoves, cigarette smoke, and unvented gas and kerosene space heaters are sources of CO indoors. The highest levels of CO in the outside air typically occur during the colder months of the year when inversion conditions are more frequent. The air pollution becomes trapped near the ground beneath a layer of warm air.
Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health effects by reducing oxygen delivery to the body's organs (like the heart and brain) and tissues.
Sulfur dioxide, or SO2, belongs to the family of sulfur oxide gases (SOx). These gases dissolve easily in water. Sulfur is prevalent in all raw materials, including crude oil, coal, and ore that contains common metals like aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, and iron. SOx gases are formed when fuel containing sulfur, such as coal and oil, is burned, and when gasoline is extracted from oil, or metals are extracted from ore. SO 2 dissolves in water vapor to form acid, and interacts with other gases and particles in the air to form sulfates and other products that can be harmful to people and their environment.
Over 65% of SO2 released to the air, or more than 13 million tons per year, comes from electric utilities, especially those that burn coal. Other sources of SO2 are industrial facilities that derive their products from raw materials like metallic ore, coal, and crude oil, or that burn coal or oil to produce process heat. Some examples are petroleum refineries, cement manufacturing, and metal processing facilities. Also, locomotives, large ships, and some non-road diesel equipment currently burn high sulfur fuel and release SO2 emissions to the air in large quantities.
S02 contributes to respiratory illness, particularly in children and the elderly, and aggravates existing heart and lung diseases.
S02 contributes to the formation of acid rain, which:
S02 contributes to the formation of atmospheric particles that cause visibility impairment, most noticeably in national parks.
Nitrogen oxides, or NOx, is the generic term for a group of highly reactive gases, all of which contain nitrogen and oxygen in varying amounts. Many of the nitrogen oxides are colorless and odorless. However, one common pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) along with particles in the air can often be seen as a reddish-brown layer over many urban areas.
Nitrogen oxides form when fuel is burned at high temperatures, as in a combustion process. The primary man-made sources of NOx are motor vehicles, electric utilities, and other industrial, commercial, and residential sources that burn fuels. NOx can also be formed naturally.
NOx:
NOx and the pollutants formed from NOx can be transported over long distances, following the pattern of prevailing winds in the U.S. This means that problems associated with NOx are not confined to areas where NOx are emitted. Therefore, controlling NOx is often most effective if done from a regional perspective, rather than focusing on sources in one local area.
G2 Diesel lowered the operating temperature dramatically in the tests. This equates to less lost energy in the form of heat. Heat being one of the most damaging factors in engine wear, sustainable reductions in temperature, will reduce maintenance significantly.
The results shown in this report fall well within the guidelines for reduced emissions required for locomotives.
The outstanding reductions shown here are not indicative of all biodiesels. A CSX Railroad test done previously showed reductions in many categories, but not of this magnitude.
Another important note is the unprecedented drop in NOx emissions. A drawback to biodiesel is that while reducing carbon emissions, it increases nitrogen emissions. G2 actually reduced nitrogen emissions by 14.5%. This is a biodiesel breakthrough.
The last chart shows the reduction in emissions temperature. Lower temperatures mean longer engine life, less maintenance and less energy lost to heat. This, again, is not a normal characteristic of biodiesel.
Additional tests regarding engine horsepower were conducted at an earlier date at this location on the same locomotive and the results follow. This is the last piece of the biodiesel puzzle. On average, while lowering emissions, biodiesel blends reduce horsepower by 5-7%. The Corman tests attached show a horsepower increase of 2% using only 5% G2.