Experimental Study of Exhaust Gas Purification from a Gasoline Engine under Combined Ultrasonic and Laser Radiation Effects

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study aimed at reducing the toxicity of internal combustion engine exhaust gases using ultrasonic waves and infrared laser radiation. An original combined device integrating an ultrasonic emitter and an infrared laser into the housing of an automobile muffler was developed and tested.

Under no-treatment conditions, as well as under ultrasonic, laser, and combined exposure, the concentrations of the main exhaust gas components, including unburned hydrocarbons (CH), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and oxygen (O₂), together with gas temperature, were measured at engine idle and at increased engine speeds.

The results showed that ultrasound and laser radiation exert selective effects on different exhaust components. At higher engine speeds, ultrasonic treatment reduced CO concentration by up to 60% compared with the control mode, whereas laser radiation decreased CH concentration by 35–40%.

Their combined application provided a complex reduction in harmful emissions, with CH and CO decreasing by 38% and 43%, respectively. The findings confirm the potential of the integrated use of ultrasound and infrared lasers for exhaust gas purification.