Development of a Formula to Quantify Emissions Generated from Diesel Vehicles in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Unprecedented increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) have become a burning issue in the current world. Mainly Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most critical pollutant causing greenhouse effect. Approximately 50% of the total emissions in Sri Lanka is from transportation sector while road transportation is responsible for 88%of it. Being a CO2 intensive country due to transportation, determination of vehicle emission levels as well as maintaining them in lower level is very important. This study is focused on the investigation of a model to calculate emission from diesel vehicle exhaust. This model was derived based on optical properties and the chemical composition of diesel exhaust. Basically CO2, Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate matter (PM) are the pollutants that can be quantify through the calculation procedure. Formulas derived were direct function of the K factor which ■> is the current result of diesel vehicle emission testing program. Quantification of major pollutants of diesel exhaust is enabled from these derived formulas. Thereby decision makers could be able to verify and impose different emission standards to diesel vehicles based on the emission of pollutants rather than K factor.