MARIN ACADEMY RESEARCH COLLABORATIVE​
STUDENT BLOGS
USING HARMFUL AUTO-EMISSIONS TO INCREASE PERFORMANCE THROUGH CATALYTIC CONVERSION AND ZEOLITE FILTRATION
My project is an exploration of how zeolite filtration can be used along with catalytic conversion to both release and isolate the oxygen naturally stored in the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. My goal is to then use this isolated oxygen to enrich the intake air, thus increasing the engine’s power output. This will, hopefully, create a cycle of gases that both decreases harmful emissions and increases power.
March 23, 2019
I spent the beginning of this week drilling holes in one of the pipes of the exhaust filtering device so that I will be able to insert gas testing tubes straight into the device. I also was finishing up the setup of the engine with the device and the tub of ice. It was puzzle-like to try to fit all these pieces together at the right angles for there to be enough pressure for the one-way valve to open but still be cooled by the ice in the tub. I finally got the entire setup to work, so that was promising, but I also decided that I will need to redesign the arrangement of all the parts to make testing more consistent.
March 16, 2019
This week was spent fitting the exhaust filtering device I had built the previous week to the engine. I first used a Dremel to widen the opening of the device so that it would fit over the exhaust pipe of the engine, then will use J-B weld to secure that connection. I also used a plastic tub filled with ice to support the weight of the device and cool it at the same time, ensuring that the filters and plastic parts of the apparatus won't melt. Also, I am currently in Geneva, Switzerland at the Geneva International Motor Show and have seen some interesting exhaust systems and products that have inspired me for future steps of my project.
March 9, 2019
Over the past week we had off from school, I built the exhaust filtering and testing device that I had explained in a previous post. I then spent this past school-week troubleshooting that device and ensuring that it will work the way I intended when I return next week. I also created a plan and action steps for the month of March this past week, outlining what I will accomplish by Spring break at the beginning of April. My goal is to have completed my filter testing so I can spend the rest of the year writing my paper and finding a way to recycle the unburned oxides back into the intake.
February 23, 2019
I began this week by retrieving or purchasing all of the materials and parts I will need for my build. I got the pipe, one-way valves, connectors, and three-way ball valve that I need in order to begin building my exhaust filtering and testing apparatus. Over the next week, I will begin that build. I previously created diagrams of my engine with all the measurements necessary for me to build the device without the engine on hand. When I get back to school, I will troubleshoot the device and begin to use it.
February 16, 2019
This week, I continued to create a materials list for the exhaust filtering apparatus that I discussed building in the previous post. This includes a three-way ball valve joint, a 7/8ths to 2-inch converter, about a foot of 2-inch pipe, and three one-way valves. With these materials, I will be able to build the device and begin exhaust filtering and testing. I will be going to the hardware store this weekend for these materials, and hopefully begin building next week.
February 9, 2019
I spent this past week developing my goals and action steps for the month of February. I will be beginning to build an exhaust collection, filtering, and testing apparatus that will attach to the exhaust of my engine. It will consist of two separate chambers separated by one-way valves. The first chamber will be for filtering, with spaces built in for a varying amount of filter layers and easy replacement. After that will be a one-way valve into the next chamber, with four or five holes drilled into the side allowing for GASTEC tube testing. Then there will be a final one-way valve on the end. The beginning of this apparatus will also contain an elbow piece that will allow me to direct exhaust out or into the rest of the device.
FILTER TESTING
February 2, 2019
I spent this past week finishing my filter testing apparatus and beginning filter tests. The device now consists of a modified bike pump that pushes air through any amount of layers of zeolite filters and into a separate cylindrical chamber that holds the filtered air until I test it. This device can also be easily modified to test the airflow ability of the filters; I can take off the cap of the post-filter chamber and place an airflow meter there instead. With this apparatus complete, I am now able to test both the filtering and airflow abilities of my zeolite filter. With that information, I will be able to move forward with my engine modifications and incorporate the zeolite into the build where it will be most effective. This weekend, I will be mapping out my goals for February, which will include the preliminary steps of this build.
MORE EXHAUST TESTING
January 26, 2019
This week I did even more exhaust composition tests in order to increase my trials and the probability that my data will be accurate. I also adapted my methods in terms of safety equipment; now I use a gas/particulate mask because I am breathing in exhaust from an engine with no catalytic converter for hours at a time, and I now wear gloves due to the heat transferred from the exhaust gas to the collection device that I was holding with my bare hands. I also changed my filter testing device, opting instead for an adapted bike pump. I will take off all the tubes and saw off the end of the pump, then drill a hole about in the middle of the cylinder. Then, I will be able to place a filter over the end of the pump and pull up on the handle to pull air through the filter into the cylindrical chamber where I drilled the hole, allowing me to easily access and test the filtered air.
BUILDING MY FILTER-TESTING APPARATUS
January 19, 2019
This week was spent continuing my exhaust composition tests. The exhaust tests consisted of using a cylinder I built to collect exhaust from my engine, then using GASTEC testing tubes for oxygen, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone to test the concentrations of each of those gases in the exhaust. From that data, I can create a pie chart of the exhaust specific to my engine, and use that to determine which oxide would be the best for me to target with a catalyst. This week, I also built the device I will use to test the airflow and gas conversion capabilities of my filters. This apparatus consists of a cylindrical container, with a slit in the middle for the filter, and a flat piece of plastic connected to a wooden dowel which is used as a pump. when pushed through the cylinder, it pushes air through the filter into the other chamber, where I can test the speed of the flow and the gas composition.
BEGINNING OF SEMESTER: PLANNING
January 12, 2019
The beginning of the semester came with much planning. In order to finish my project by the end of the year, I created a timeline for myself that details what I will be working on and when, so that by the end of the year I have a working prototype and a complete patent application. At the beginning of each month, I will complete an “Action Steps” form in order to lay out my goal for that month. For January, my goal is to finish exhaust composition tests, to finish filter airflow and gas conversion tests, and to obtain a torque transducer that works with my engine, in order to run the control torque tests in February.
END OF SEMESTER UPDATE
December 14, 2018
This quarter, I began my preliminary testing of the exhaust composition of my engine. I have been collecting and recording data on the amounts of oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and nitrogen oxide in the exhaust. These results will inform my build in the first half of the next semester. Having just ordered a pack of two zeolite filters, my next steps will be to test the air-flow and gas composition of the filters in order to determine whether or not they will be beneficial. After that, I will begin my build and final testing.
END OF SUMMER UPDATE
September 15, 2018
Over the summer, I spent 3 days a week interning at a local mechanic shop, learning the ways of the road regarding auto repairs, upgrades, and replacements. With that newly gained knowledge in mind, I am excited to begin the new year with control tests of my engine. I have identified a location at which I can conduct these trials, filled up the engine with oil, and modified the heat sink on the muffler to expose the required exhaust pipe for measurements. When conducting my control trials, I will be testing torque, horsepower, fuel consumption, fuel efficiency, and exhaust gas composition.
RETURNING FROM BREAK
March 9, 2018
This week has been dedicated to returning from break and starting back up with my project. I have been working on an experimental plan for the next month, which includes buying my engine and beginning preliminary tests. I hope to collect my control data this month or next so I can begin altering and building my setup as soon as possible. I will probably receive my zeolite filter next month.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
February 5, 2018
This weekend, I installed a new exhaust system, intake manifold, carburetor, and distributor cap in my project car, a 1969 Karmann Ghia (pictured above). Although the engine I will be working with will most likely not be carbureted, working on my car offers valuable hands-on learning about how these systems work. Even though I have thoroughly researched these systems, there are some things that simply cannot be learned without hands-on experience. I hope to continue to pair my research with this type of learning in order to further my understanding of my project.
MEETINGS WITH PROFESSIONALS
January 18, 2018
This week, I have been setting up meetings with several professionals in fields that pertain to my project. I will be meeting with Shawn Cole and Mary Kay Dolejsi, a conceptual physics teacher and an advanced chemistry teacher, respectively. These meetings will help me understand the catalytic conversion in engines, how it works, and how I can use it to my advantage by isolating the oxygen-storing gases.
I will also be meeting with Kenneth Frost, a professor at Dominican University of California. He has several patents in the field of fuel emission reduction, and worked for Chevron for many years.
WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC
January 11, 2018
I have always loved cars. I have always loved driving, and I have always loved discovering how engines convert a simple fuel into great amounts of power. When studying engines, two questions always arise: How can I increase power, and how can I help the environment? In an attempt to further my understanding of internal combustion engines, as well as to find a solution for both these questions simultaneously, I have embarked on an exploration of the exhaust and intake systems of engines, specifically how they can work together and, with the help of catalytic conversion and zeolite filtration, enrich the power and decrease the environmental impact of that engine. In this blog, you can find experimental updates, articles I have been reading, and an insight into the type of research I am conducting.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts.