74-8  RBM
Evaluation of a Chevrolet Fitted with a Vortex Reactor
                       August 1973
          Emission Control Technology Division
           Office of Air and Water Programs
           Environmental  Protection Agency

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Background

The Emission Control Technology Division was contacted by
Vortex Inc. of Tucson, Arizona, concerning the possible
testing of their test vehicle fitted with a thermal reactor.
The vehicle had been recently tested at the General Motors
Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona, and approached the 1975
Federal interim emission levels, being slightly high only
in carbon monoxide.  The Test and Evaluation Branch agreed
to test the vehicle, but because of the heavy work load
could only schedule one test. Additional and more complete
tests on this system and on a system designed for OEM
application are planned in the near future.

 System Description

 The  thermal reactor was a large cylinder,  approximately eight
 inches in diameter and seven feet long.   It was fitted into
 the  exhaust system, about three feet  downstream of the exhaust
 manifold.   A spark plug near the upstream end of the  reactor
 was  fired by means of a separate coil connected to the regular
 coil.   Air from an air pump could be  controlled by the driver
 to enter either the exhaust manifold  or the entrance  (before
 the  spark plug)  of the reactor.

 Test Program

 The  vehicle supplied by Vortex was a  1972  Chevrolet Impala.
 The  original engine was replaced with a 1965 Chevrolet 327
 CID  engine.   The test performed was a 1975 FTP as outlined
 in the November 15, 1972, Federal Register for light  duty
 vehicles.   Because of the Vortex representative's concern for
 back pressure from the standard CVS exhaust hook-up,  the
 dilution box was not used and the exhaust pipe from the
 vehicle was simply stuck inside the larger inlet pipe to
 the  CVS.

 For  the first 300 seconds of the test air from the air pump
 was  ported to the exhaust manifold.  For the rest of  the
 test it was ported to the reactor.

 Test Results
 The rest results are presented below along \*ith calculated
 fuel economy.  Emissions are in grams/mile.

 Test No.           HC       CO        C02     NOx       MPG

 16-674            .81      22.68     803.5    1.43     10.8

 1975 Interim
 Standards        1.50      15.0      	      3.1      	

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Conclusions

The Vortex system produced much lower emissions than are
typical for a 1965 uncontrolled vehicle.  However, the
vehicle failed to meet 1975 interim levels, HC and NOx
emissions were about half the limits, but CO emissions
were 50% higher.

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