scholarly journals Environmental assessment of low speed policies for motor vehicles mobility in city centers

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-201

In order to assess the influence of reducing the speed limit from 50 km h-1 to 30 km h-1 in one-lane streets in local residential areas in large cities, real traffic tests for pollutant emissions and fuel consumption have been carried out in Madrid city centre. Emission concentration and car activity were simultaneously measured by a Portable Emissions Measurement System. Real life tests carried out at different times and on different days were performed with a turbo-diesel engine light vehicle equipped with an oxidizer catalyst and using different driving styles with a previously trained driver. The results show that by reducing the speed limit from 50 km h-1 to 30 km h-1, using a normal driving style, the time taken for a given trip does not increase, but fuel consumption and NOx, CO and PM emissions are clearly reduced. Therefore, the main conclusion of this work is that reducing the speed limit in some narrow streets in residential and commercial areas or in a city not only increases pedestrian safety, but also contributes to reducing the environmental impact of motor vehicles and reducing fuel consumption. In addition, there is also a reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the combustion of the fuel.

Author(s):  
JOSÉ ALFREDO JIMÉNEZ GARCÍA

In this paper it is used the experimental design to minimize the travel time of motor vehicles, in one of the most important avenues of Celaya City in Guanajuato, Mexico, by means of optimal synchronization of existing traffic lights. In the optimization process three factors are considered: the traffic lights’ cycle times, the synchrony defined as stepped, parallel and actual, and speed limit, each one with 3 evaluation levels. The response variables to consider are: motor vehicles’ travel time, fuel consumption and greenhouse effect gas (CO2) emissions. The different experiments are performed using the simulation model developed in the PTV-VISSIM software, which represents the vehicle traffic system. The obtained results for the different proposed scenarios allow to find proper levels at which the vehicle traffic system must be operated in order to improve mobility, to reduce contamination rates and decrease the fuel consumption for the different motor vehicles that use the avenue.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/CIT2016.2016.4093


Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Francisco Coloma ◽  
Marta García ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Andrés Monzón

This research aims to find the most ecological itineraries for urban mobility in a small city (eco-routes), where distances are rather short, but car dependence is really high. A real life citywide survey was carried out in the city of Caceres (Spain) with almost 100,000 inhabitants. Research was done on alternating routes, traffic, times of day, and weather conditions. The output of the study was to assess fuel consumption, CO2, and regulated pollutant emissions for different type of vehicles, routes, and drivers. The results show that in the case studied, urban roads had fewer emissions (CO2 and pollutants) but there was an increase in the population affected by pollutants. On the contrary, bypasses reduced travel time and congestion but increased fuel consumption and emissions. Traffic conditions had a greater influence on fuel consumption in petrol vehicles than diesel ones. Therefore, there must be a balanced distribution of traffic in order to minimize congestion, and at the same time to reduce emissions and the number of people affected by harmful pollution levels. There should be a combination of regulatory measures in traffic policies in order to achieve that balance by controlling access to city centres, limiting parking spaces, pedestrianization, and lowering traffic speeds in sensitive areas.


2021 ◽  
pp. 146808742110350
Author(s):  
Vicente Bermúdez ◽  
José Ramón Serrano ◽  
Pedro Piqueras ◽  
Bárbara Diesel

New regulations applied to the transportation sector are widening the operation range where the pollutant emissions are evaluated. Besides ambient temperature, the driving altitude is also considered to reduce the gap between regulated and real-life emissions. The altitude effect on the engine performance is usually overcome by acting on the turbocharger control. The traditional strategy assumes to keep (or even to increase) the boost pressure, that is, compressor pressure ratio increase, as the altitude is increased to offset the ambient density reduction, followed by the reduction of the exhaust gas recirculation to reach the targeted engine torque. However, this is done at the expense of an increase on fuel consumption and emissions. This work remarks experimentally the importance of a detailed understanding of the effects of the boost pressure and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (LP-EGR) settings when the engine runs low partial loads at different altitudes, accounting for extreme warm and cold ambient temperatures. The experimental results allow defining and justifying clear guidelines for an optimal engine calibration. Opposite to traditional strategies, a proper calibration of the boost pressure and LP-EGR enables reductions in specific fuel consumption along with the gas temperature increase at the exhaust aftertreatment system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 01033
Author(s):  
Vadim Bespalov ◽  
Oksana Gurova ◽  
Natalya Samarskaya ◽  
Oksana Paramonova

The article is devoted to the problem of ensuring environmental safety in the territories of large cities, primarily, to reducing atmospheric air pollution. The aim of the work was to build a comprehensive classification scheme of sources of pollutant emissions into the air basin of the territories of large cities, taking into account the climatic and physicalgeographical conditions of the considered urban areas. In the process of research, we solved the problem of identifying the basic principles of classification of air pollution sources based on the analysis of known methodological approaches with the subsequent improvement of calculation methods to justify the spatial distribution of residential areas, industrial areas, motorways, recreational areas, effective sanitary protective zones taking into account aerodynamics to remove polluted air outside the city territory. A generalized classification of sources of pollutant emissions into the environment is proposed, while the sources of air pollution in urban areas are classified according to the following main criteria: by origin, by aerodynamic parameters and by the nature of the direction of the emission plume, by spatial position and possible mobility, in terms of size in plan, in height of the spread of the emission plume, taking into account the height of the mouth of the source of the emission of pollutants above the level of the earth’s surface, in temperature of air-gas mixture, according to the mode of action.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 3-34
Author(s):  
Ulf Schiefelbein ◽  
Frieda Engel ◽  
Franziska Masberg ◽  
Svea Lübke ◽  
Johann Schiefelbein ◽  
...  

Die Flechtendiversität und -quantität wurde in den Jahren 2017/2018 in Rostock an 53 Bäumen erfasst. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit den Ergebnissen einer Kartierung von 1994/1995 verglichen. Ferner wurden die Feuchtigkeitsverhältnisse und der Grad der Eutrophierung bzw. die Luftqualität an den Bäumen der Gattungen Tilia und Acer anhand des bekannten Verhaltens der nachgewiesenen Flechten bezüglich Luftfeuchtigkeit/Niederschlägen, Eutrophierung und pH-Verhältnissen bewertet. 2017/2018 wurden 79 Flechtenarten und 14 lichenicole Pilzarten nachgewiesen. Die Gesamtzahl der im Untersuchungsgebiet nachgewiesenen epiphytischen Flechtenarten erhöhte sich damit auf 80. Die meisten Flechtenarten kommen an Tilia spec. (60), Acer pseudoplatanus (43) und A. platanoides (34) vor. Die häufigsten Arten sind Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Physcia adscendens, Ph. tenella und Xanthoria parietina. Candelariella xanthostigmoides, Flavoparmelia soredians, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Intralichen lichenum, Lecanora subcarpinea, Parmelia serrana, Parmelina quercina und Taeniolella delicata sind Neufunde für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Hinsichtlich der Verbreitung und des Charakters der Fundorte können die nachgewiesenen Flechten und lichenicolen Pilze drei Gruppen zugeordnet werden: 1. Arten, die auch an stark befahrenen Straßen oder in eng bebauten Wohngebieten mit wenig Grünflächen und in den Stadtgebieten Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt oder Stadtmitte vorkamen, 2. Arten, die auch noch in locker bebauten, grünreichen Wohngebieten und in kleineren Grünlagen der Neubaugebiete vorkamen, aber nicht mehr in der Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt und Stadtmitte nachgewiesen wurden, 3. Arten, die nur an Bäumen vorkamen, die sich in der Nähe zum Offenland befinden. Der ersten Gruppe wurden 22, der zweiten Gruppe 32 und der dritten Gruppe 25 Flechtenarten zugeordnet. Dem Verhältnis zwischen der Frequenzsumme der stark nitrophytischen Arten und der Frequenzsumme der a-, schwach und mäßig nitrophytischen Arten auf den Bäumen entsprechend, wird die Luftqualität an 15 Bäumen der Gattungen Acer und Tilia für gut, an 14 Bäumen für mäßig und an 13 Bäumen für schlecht befunden. Auf der Grundlage des Verhältnisses zwischen der Anzahl basiphytischer Arten und der Summe an Arten an sauren oder/und subneutralen Borken wurden sechs Standorte als wenig, 21 Standorte als mäßig und 15 Standorte als stark schadstoffbelastet eingestuft. Meso- bis hygrophytische Flechten kamen an zehn Standorten mit nur ein oder zwei Arten, an 21 Standorten mit drei bis fünf Arten und an elf Standorten mit mehr als fünf Arten vor. Die epiphytische Flechtenflora hat sich in Rostock seit 1995 gravierend verändert. Es nahmen 69 Flechten im Bestand zu, von denen sich 52 Arten erst nach 1995 angesiedelt haben. Bei 32 Flechten ist eine schwache, bei 19 Flechten eine mäßige und bei 18 Flechten eine starke Zunahme zu verzeichnen. Lecanora conizaeoides kam 2017/2018 nicht mehr vor, vier Arten haben im Bestand abgenommen. Changes in the epiphytic lichen flora in the urban area of Rostock between 1994/1995 and 2017/2018 In 2017/2018, diversity and quantity of lichens were studied on 53 trees in Rostock city. The results were compared with the results of a mapping project in 1994/1995. Humidity conditions and degree of eutrophication at trees of the genera Tilia and Acer were interpreted with reference to the known indicator characteristcs of the lichen species concerning air humidity/precipitation, eutrophication and pH conditions. In 2017/2018, 79 lichen species and 14 lichenicolous fungus species were found. The total number of lichens increased to 80 species. Most species were found on Tilia spec. (60), Acer pseudoplatanus (43) and A. platanoides (34). The most common species are Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Physcia adscendens, Ph. tenella and Xanthoria parietina. Candelariella xanthostigmoides, Flavoparmelia soredians, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Intralichen lichenum, Lecanora subcarpinea, Parmelia serrana, Parmelina quercina and Taeniolella delicata are new to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The distribution and characteristics of the collection sites allow for deviding the species into three groups: 1. species also present along streets with heavy traffic or in densely populated residential areas with a lack of green areas and in the districts Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt or City Centre, 2. species still present in sparse residential areas and smaller green areas but not in the districts Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt or City Centre, 3. species only colonizing trees close to the open landscape. Twenty-two species were assigned to the first, 32 species to the second and 25 species to the latter group. According to the proportion between the sum of frequencies of the strongly nitrophytic lichens and the sum of frequencies of the anitrophytic and moderately nitrophytic lichens on trees, air quality was indicated to be good at 15 trees of the genera Acer and Tilia, moderate at 14 trees and bad at 13 trees. Based on the proportion between the number of basiphytic lichen species and the sum of species colonizing acidophytic and subneutrophytic bark, six locations were categorized as little, 21 locations as moderately and 15 locations as strongly polluted. Mesophytic or hygrophytic lichens were present with only one or two species at ten locations, three to five species at 21 locations and over five species at 11 locations. Within the period under consideration, the epiphytic lichen flora of the Rostock urban area changed considerably. The populations of 69 lichen species increased, with 52 lichens newly establishing after 1995. In 32 lichen species a slight, in 19 species a moderate, and in 18 species a strong population increase was recorded. Lecanora conizaeoides disappeared and the populations of four species decreased.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4528
Author(s):  
Olga Lingaitienė ◽  
Juozas Merkevičius ◽  
Vida Davidavičienė

The World Bank, United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and others are in line with the governments of countries that are strongly interested in the sustainable development of countries, regions, and enterprises. One of the aspects that affects the indicators and prospects of sustainable development is the efficiency of energy source use. Nationwide reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions of motor vehicles could have a direct effect on ambient temperature and reducing the effects of global warming, which can affect future environmental, societal, and economic development. Significant reductions in fuel consumption can be achieved by increasing the efficiency of use, and the performance, of current cargo vehicles. This aspect is directly related to cargo delivery systems and supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. The article solves the problem of increasing the effectiveness of cargo delivery and proposes a model that would minimize transportation costs that are directly related to fuel consumption, shortening transportation time. The model addresses the problem of a lack of models evaluating the efficiency of cargo to Lithuania that is using several different modes of transportation. For the solution to this problem, the article examines the complexity of the rational use of land and water vehicles depending on the type of cargo transported, the technical capabilities of the vehicles (loading, speed, environmental pollution, fuel consumption, etc.), and the type (cars, railways, ships). The novelty of the findings is based on the availability to select the most appropriate vehicles, on a case-by-case basis, from the available options, depending on their environmental performance and energy efficiency. This model, later in this article, is used for calculations of Lithuanian companies for selecting the most rational vehicle by identifying the most appropriate route, as well as assessing the dynamics of the economic and physical indicators. The model allows for creating dependencies between the main indicators characterizing the transport process—the cost, the time of transport, and the safety, taking into account the dynamics of economic and physical indicators, that lead to a very important issue—reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 8066
Author(s):  
Thowayeb H. Hassan ◽  
Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih ◽  
Amany E. Salem

The cost of fuel and its availability are among the most major concerns for aircrafts and the aviation industry overall. Environmental difficulties with chemical pollutant emissions emitted by aviation machines are also connected to fuel consumption. As a result, it is crucial to examine factors that affect the overall fuel usage and consumption in the airport-based aviation industry. Several variables were investigated related to the total fuel consumed, such as dry operating weight (DOW) (KG), zero-fuel weight (ZFW), take-off weight (TOW), air distance (AIR DIST) (KM), and ground distance (GDN DIST). Analysis of the correlation between total fuel consumed as well as the extra fuel and selected variables was conducted. The results showed that the most positively associated factors with the total used fuel were the air distance (r2 = 0.86, p < 0.01), ground distance (r2 = 0.78, p < 0.01), TOW (r2 = 0.68, p < 0.01), and flight time (r2 = 0.68, p < 0.01). There was also a strong positive association between the average fuel flow (FF) and actual TOW (r2 = 0.74, p < 0.01) as well as ZFW (r2 = 0.61, p < 0.01). The generalized linear model (GLM) was utilized to assess the predictions of total energy usage after evaluating important outliers, stability of the homogeneity of variance, and the normalization of the parameter estimation. The results of multiple linear regression revealed that the most significant predictors of the total consumed fuel were the actual ZFW (p < 0.01), actual TOW (p < 0.01), and actual average FF (p < 0.05). The results interestingly confirmed that wind speed has some consequences and effects on arrival fuel usage. The result reflects that thermal and hydrodynamic economies impact on the flying fuel economy. The research has various implications for both scholars and practitioners of aviation industry.


Author(s):  
Ioannis Goulos ◽  
Fakhre Ali ◽  
Konstantinos Tzanidakis ◽  
Vassilios Pachidis ◽  
Roberto d'Ippolito

This paper presents an integrated methodology for the comprehensive assessment of combined rotorcraft–powerplant systems at mission level. Analytical evaluation of existing and conceptual designs is carried out in terms of operational performance and environmental impact. The proposed approach comprises a wide-range of individual modeling theories applicable to rotorcraft flight dynamics and gas turbine engine performance. A novel, physics-based, stirred reactor model is employed for the rapid estimation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The individual mathematical models are implemented within an elaborate numerical procedure, solving for total mission fuel consumption and associated pollutant emissions. The combined approach is applied to the comprehensive analysis of a reference twin-engine light (TEL) aircraft modeled after the Eurocopter Bo 105 helicopter, operating on representative mission scenarios. Extensive comparisons with flight test data are carried out and presented in terms of main rotor trim control angles and power requirements, along with general flight performance charts including payload-range diagrams. Predictions of total mission fuel consumption and NOx emissions are compared with estimated values provided by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). Good agreement is exhibited between predictions made with the physics-based stirred reactor model and experimentally measured values of NOx emission indices. The obtained results suggest that the production rates of NOx pollutant emissions are predominantly influenced by the behavior of total air inlet pressure upstream of the combustion chamber, which is affected by the employed operational procedures and the time-dependent all-up mass (AUM) of the aircraft. It is demonstrated that accurate estimation of on-board fuel supplies ahead of flight is key to improving fuel economy as well as reducing environmental impact. The proposed methodology essentially constitutes an enabling technology for the comprehensive assessment of existing and conceptual rotorcraft–powerplant systems, in terms of operational performance and environmental impact.


Author(s):  
Michelle N. Rosado-Pérez ◽  
Karen Ríos-Soto

Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects the lungs, with a prevalence of 339.4 million people worldwide [G. Marks, N. Pearce, D. Strachan, I. Asher and P. Ellwood, The Global Asthma Report 2018, globalasthmareport.org (2018)]. Many factors contribute to the high prevalence of asthma, but with the rise of the industrial age, air pollutants have become one of the main Ultrafine particles (UFPs), which are a type of air pollutant that can affect asthmatics the most. These UFPs originate primarily from the combustion of motor vehicles [P. Solomon, Ultrafine particles in ambient air. EM: Air and Waste Management Association’s Magazine for Environmental Managers (2012)] and although in certain places some regulations to control their emission have been implemented they might not be enough. In this work, a mathematical model of reaction–diffusion type is constructed to study how UFPs grow and disperse in the environment and in turn how they affect an asthmatic population. Part of our focus is on the existence of traveling wave solutions and their minimum asymptotic speed of pollutant propagation [Formula: see text]. Through the analysis of the model it was possible to identify the necessary threshold conditions to control the pollutant emissions and consequently reduce the asthma episodes in the population. Analytical and numerical results from this work prove how harmful the UFEs are for the asthmatic population and how they can exacerbate their asthma episodes.


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