EXHAUST GASES FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
EXHAUST GASES FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents the basic characteristics of gaseous combustion products (CO2, CO, NOx, SOx, NH3, etc.) in internal combustion engines (ICE) and their harmful impact on the environment, i.e., the ecological context. Special attention is given to the formation of CO2and CO, specifically the reaction kinetics CO2=CO+0.5·O2 as the dominant gases in the exhaust gases of ICE. At an ambient temperature of 298K, the considered reaction ΔH=282990 kJ is endothermic and the equilibrium constant at normal pressure (1.013∙105Pa) is much less than one Kp’=1.40∙10-45, which means that the equilibrium of the reaction is shifted to the left, towards the reactant CO2. This practically means that the formed CO2 in the exhaust gases remains stable and, as a greenhouse gas, has an impact on the 'greenhouse effect.' Only at significantly high temperatures, above 2000K, does a slight formation of CO and reduction of CO2 occur.

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