The Task Involved Discussing The Impact Of Air Pollution Due To Motor Exhaust Gases (Essay Sample)

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Air Pollution from Gas Powered Cars
Motorcars and vehicles are seen as one of the most useful inventions of the modern world era. They hasten and light work of long journeys and distant commitments through an efficient means of movement within a projected or desirable timeframe (Harrington, Winston and Virginia Mcconell). However, the detrimental effects of the motorcars constantly weigh on the beneficial aspects of these time-saving machines. One of the effects of a lot of weight and concern is the pollution of the environment; air pollution, that includes the infection of the people within the environment with harmful gasses from the exhaust chambers of these motor cars. So what rather stands out; the beneficial or the negative pollution aspects? Beneficial aspects cannot be done away with, but the main concern is; do the negative aspects of air pollution merit the appeal to redesign and change the approaches to designing automobile fuels? What about the fuel economies and petroleum dependent countries?
With these questions in mind, this study seeks to validate the extent of the implications of air pollution from cars exhaust chambers on the environment and the perceived benefits. Also, the strategies of adoption of appropriate measures to minimize the emission of such hazardous gasses in order combat pollution and maximize the benefits associated with automobiles use are outlined. The issue of contention in all situations remains whether to do away with gas emitting oil-powered cars completely or adopt better strategies to manage the engine systems of the cars. Better still; a conservative approach can be adopted where improved oil-powered cars engines are designed to ensure efficient consumption and combustion of the oil fuel, with the subsequent release of negligible quantities of harmful gasses or release of simple ones like oxygen.
Composition of car gas emissions
Deeper insights into the chemical and mechanical combinations within the car engines reveal a comprehensive understanding of the emission of harmful gasses, and possible deduction of appropriate catalyst techniques to reduce the harm produced within the exhaust chambers of the cars. As in most chemical and combustion equations, the air-fuel ratio also known as A/F ratio is vital to the whole process. The car carburetor controls this ratio as a fuel injection system. Three types of control technology have been designed over time based on the concentration of the combinatorial gasses; hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. These three control technologies utilize different A/F ratios conferring different efficiencies in the fuel injection system of the car. They include car control technologies, that of light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles (Society).
Several environmental agencies have set federal standards of the A/F ratio to help in the regulation of environmental pollution through proper designing of control technologies. Most designers, however, have not managed to hit the required standards, with the different combinatorial concentrations of the pollutants. For instance in combustion chemistry, lower concentrations of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons would implicate a higher concentration of nitrogen oxides. This requirement makes the efficient design of the fuel injection system subject to keen projections of probabilities and carefully combined catalytic systems. A better manner would be to ensure that the fuel injection systems have ways of breaking down the combustion products nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other hydrocarbon gasses.
Effects of Car-Gas Emissions
To understand both sides of the issue at hand it is important to evaluate, the composition, effects, and quantities of the gasses emitted from the cars into the environment. In their prime time of usage, cars emit gasses that compromise the air purity of any environment they are located. Nat Geo estimates the gasses emitted by the vehicles to be responsible for one-third of the air pollution. The gasses with an immediate and remote effects include; carbon monoxide, smog, and other harmful compounds. Research on atmospheric chemistry by A.J Haagen-Smit indicates hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides interact in a photochemical reaction to produce a different combination of secondary pollutants. These pollutants reduce atmospheric visibility (for instance smog) and irritate the eye and the nose. The Union of Concerned Scientists’ Journal projects an estimated 150 million Americans living in residential regions with sub-par air quality standards compared to the federal quality standards. These individual have increased incidences of respiratory health risks and infections like bronchitis and asthma. Much emphasis and concern are put upon the vulnerability of the individuals to life-threatening conditions like cancer. Due to air pollution by particulate matter, 30, 000 deaths result annually.
Alternative Means of Powering Car Engines
All the research towards the improvement of air conditions and reduction of pollution points toward the inevitable of adopting other fuel and energy sources other than the use of hydrocarbons. Despite being an environmental hazard, transportation remains an essential part of human activities like trade and recreation. Research scientists and energy experts have brought forward and even established the use of various alternative cleaner technologies. Amongst these include designing of fuel-efficient vehicles that utilize less oil. This mechanism can be achieved by positively and digitally exploiting the fuel injection mechanisms to use less oil, and minimize the possibility of emission of harmful gasses. These methods are possible with careful monitoring and control of the fuel consumption and utilization components of the cars.
Another alternative means of powering car engines that have been put on trial is the use of cleaner fuels that have the capability of producing less or no emissions. Gasoline and ethanol, which are petroleum extract products, have been recommended in this regard. The compound, gasoline which is also made up of ethanol as a key component, has been used as an efficient fuel that when properly used emits reduced quantities of less harmful compounds. Ethanol, a biofuel itself, is produced from organic materials like agricultural garbage and wastes, sugarcane and corn. In the United States, about 15 million flex-fuel cars run on ethanol blends. The lifecycle emission analysis for ethanol reveals a high efficiency in the production and utilizing of the compound. When carefully handled, ethanol can reduce the production of harmful emissions by ninety percent. The prospective importance of ethanol as a clean alternative fuel has led to the growth of fast maturing grass of biofuel utilization and importance. Advancements like this are viewed to help reduce oil dependence in the coming years and beyond.
Despite the efforts put toward reducing emissions from fuel injectors, some methods can completely wipe out these emissions. These methods include the designing of electric cars and heavier vehicles. The hydrogen fuel cell is also seen as an alternative in this regard. The use of electricity is viewed as a cleaner and cheaper alternative compared to the use of oil in car engines. Regarding environmental pollution, this implicates a minor contribution toward global warming. The practicability of these cars has been validated in several world regions including the United States. In the US, for instance, it is projected that the use of the plug-in or battery-electric vehicles is possible in 42 percent of households. Also, any other household could use fuel-electric hybrid vehicles for their transportation needs. The fuel cell car utilizes hydrogen in powering electric motors within the car. The use of hydrogen from renewable sources ensures zero percent emissions. Battery electric cars, on the other hand, run on a rechargeable electric battery. The current systems have a capability of between 60 and just over 200 miles coverage after the full charge. Plug in hybrid cars on the other hand; use gas engines in case the initial charge runs out in the process of travel. All these technologies have minimal or none chances of emissions and are therefore recommendable to ensure a cleaner, safer and movement-efficient future.
Oil and Petroleum Dependency
As much as the adoption of alternative technology towards environmental and health conservation is a great prospect; there are several negative economic implications associated with it. Most economies have been known to wholly depend on the export of petroleum, oil and their related products in as a source of revenue regarding foreign exchange. Most nations are striving hard and to great lengths to exploit their natural oil deposits, while others are importing oil in large quantities. Automobiles are the most consumers of oil in most economies and therefore the resultant negative implication from these cars can be viewed as a major concern in the major oil-dependent economies. In fact, oil has become a major financial well-being determinant in any economy in the world.
According to research, over fifty percent of the economies of countries such as Ecuador, Columbia, Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are dependent and funded through revenues generated from oil earnings and explorations. The exploitation of oil is, therefore, essential for the economic progress of these countries. In these countries, the dependence on oil has been a major hindrance to the primary environmental protection measures and laws.
Recommendations Addressing Car Gas Emission and Oil Dependency
The total adoption of newer and cleaner energy source is achievable but may not be completely realized shortly. Most likely, the continued use of a hydrocarbon and nitrogen sources for the production of car fuel will rem...