🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2hnfh3$ip2@access2.digex.net> prb@access2.digex.net (Pat) writes:

>   but  there will will  various nitrogen compounds, created as combustion
>  by-products.  once again  bad to breathe.  sulfur  compounds as
>  a residue  in the diesel.

>  stray hydro-carbons from the lubricating system  and
>  unburned diesel,    and god knows what else,  from  conditioners
>  put in the diesel...

   Well... it has been a while since I have read the details about
diesel combustion products. But the last I heard diesels were in in
many ways much cleaner than gas engines. This is difficult for many to
understand because of the visible soot emissions. But diesels
generally get much better mileage and the *higher* *combustion*
*temperature* results in greatly *reduced* sulphur and nitrogen oxides
emissions compared to gas engines. Sulphur and nitrogen oxides are
primary contributers to photo-chemical smog but are not *visibly*
apparent in gas engine exhaust. It's not necessarily what you can
*see* that will kill you. 

    Diesels are also nowhere near as prone to the tuning related
problems that gas engines have which require constant monitoring to
insure that they are not spewing poison.

   About 3 or 4 years ago a (European?) company developed a device
that removes much of the soot from diesel exhaust using a small
centrifuge. I am not sure but I think it is possible to get these
devices installed on some diesels now. At any rate, by most measures,
the soot emitted by a diesel is probably much less harmful than the
sulpher, nitrogen, CO, etc. spewed (transparently) from poorly tuned
gas engines.

   Neither diesel or gas is exactly environmentaly friendly but the
last I saw, gas engines were actually significantly worse in many 
key areas (with the exception of soot). There was a pretty good 
article about this issue in "New Scientist" magazine 2 to 3 years
ago.

   Still routinely getting 35 - 45 mpg in my old '84 Ford Tempo diesel
with a relatively clear exhaust. How many gas cars of similar
size/weight can claim that?
--
eric
ogata@tethys.nswc.navy.mil