§ 86.133-96 - Diurnal emission test.

§ 86.133-96 Diurnal emission test.

(a)

(1) The diurnal emission test for gasoline-, methanol- and gaseous-fueled vehicles consists of three 24-hour test cycles following the hot soak test. Emissions are measured for each 24-hour cycle, with the highest emission level used to determine compliance with the standards specified in subpart A of this part. The Administrator may truncate a test after any 24-hour cycle without affecting the validity of the collected data. Sampling of emissions from the running loss and hot soak tests is not required as preparation for the diurnal emission test. The diurnal emission test may be conducted as part of either the three- diurnal test sequence or the supplemental two-diurnal test sequence, as described in § 86.130-96.

(2) For the full three-diurnal test sequence, the diurnal emission test outlined in paragraphs (b) through (o) of this section follows the high-temperature hot soak test concluded in § 86.138-96(j).

(3) For the supplemental two-diurnal test sequence, the diurnal emission test outlined in paragraph (p) of this section follows the alternate hot soak test specified in § 86.138-96(k). This test is not required for gaseous-fueled vehicles.

(b) The test vehicle shall be soaked for not less than 6 hours nor more than 36 hours between the end of the hot soak test and the start of the diurnal emission test. For at least the last 6 hours of this period, the vehicle shall be soaked at 72°±3 °F. The temperature tolerance may be waived for up to 10 minutes to allow purging of the enclosure or transporting the vehicle into the enclosure at the beginning of the diurnal emission test.

(c) The test vehicle shall be exposed to ambient temperatures cycled according to the profile specified in § 86.133 and appendix II of this part.

(1) Temperatures measured with the underbody temperature sensor shall follow the profile with a maximum deviation of 3 °F at any time and an average temperature deviation not to exceed 2 °F, where the average deviation is calculated using the absolute value of each measured deviation. In addition, the temperature from the sidewall temperature sensors shall follow the profile with a maximum deviation of 5 °F at any time.

(2) Ambient temperatures shall be measured at least every minute. Temperature cycling shall begin when time = 0 minutes, as specified in paragraph (i)(5) of this section.

(d) The diurnal enclosure shall be purged for several minutes prior to the test. Warning: If at any time the concentration of hydrocarbons, of methanol or of methanol and hydrocarbons exceeds 15,000 ppm C the enclosure should be immediately purged. This concentration provides at least a 4:1 safety factor against the lean flammability limit.

(e) The test vehicle, with the engine shut off and the test vehicle windows and luggage compartment(s) opened, shall be moved into the diurnal enclosure.

(f)-(g) [Reserved]

(h) Prior to sampling for emissions and throughout the period of cycled ambient temperatures, the mixing fan(s) shall circulate the air at a rate of 0.8±0.2 cfm per cubic foot of ambient volume. The mixing fan(s), plus any additional fans if needed, shall also maintain a minimum wind speed of 5 mph (8 km/hr) under the fuel tank of the test vehicle. The Administrator may adjust fan speed and location to ensure sufficient air circulation around the fuel tank. The wind speed requirement may be satisfied by consistently using a fan configuration that has been demonstrated to maintain a broad 5-mph air flow in the vicinity of the vehicle's fuel tank, subject to verification by the Administrator.

(i) Emission sampling may begin as follows:

(1) The FID (or HFID) hydrocarbon analyzer shall be zeroed and spanned immediately prior to the sampling.

(2) Impingers charged with known volumes of pure deionized water shall be placed in the methanol sampling system (methanol-fueled vehicles only).

(3) Turn off purge blowers (if not already off).

(4) Close and seal enclosure doors (if not already closed and sealed).

(5) Within 10 minutes of closing and sealing the doors, analyze enclosure atmosphere for hydrocarbons and record. This is the initial (time = 0 minutes) hydrocarbon concentration, C_HCi, required in § 86.143. Hydrocarbon emissions may be sampled continuously during the test period.

(6) Analyze the enclosure atmosphere for methanol, if applicable, and record. The methanol sampling must start simultaneously with the initiation of the hydrocarbon analysis and continue for 4.0±0.5 minutes. This is the initial methanol concentration, C_CH3_OHi, required in § 86.143. Record the time elapsed during this analysis. If the 4-minute sample period is inadequate to collect a sample of sufficient concentration to allow accurate GC analysis, rapidly collect the methanol sample in a bag and then bubble the bag sample through the impingers at the specified flow rate. The time elapsed between collection of the bag sample and flow through the impingers should be minimized to prevent any losses. If the test is conducted in a fixed-volume enclosure that allows airflow into and out of the enclosure, the effect of makeup air dilution must be factored into the analysis.

(j) If testing indicates that a vehicle design may result in fuel temperature responses during enclosure testing that are not representative of in-use summertime conditions, the Administrator may adjust air circulation and temperature during the test as needed to ensure that the test sufficiently duplicates the vehicle's in-use experience.

(k) The FID (or HFID) hydrocarbon analyzer shall be zeroed and spanned immediately prior to the end of each emission sampling period.

(l) Fresh impingers shall be installed in the methanol collection system immediately prior to the end of each emission measurement, if applicable.

(m) The end of the first, second, and third emission sampling period shall occur 1440±6, 2880±6, 4320±6 minutes, respectively, after the beginning of the initial sampling, as specified in paragraph (i)(5) of this section.

(1) At the end of each emission sampling period, analyze the enclosure atmosphere for hydrocarbons and record. This is the final hydrocarbon concentration, C_HCf, required in § 86.143. The emission measurement at the end of each period becomes the initial hydrocarbon concentration, C_HCi, of the next emission sampling period.

(2) Analyze the enclosure atmosphere for methanol, if applicable, and record. The methanol sampling must start simultaneously with the initiation of the hydrocarbon analysis and continue for 4.0±0.5 minutes. This is the final (time = 1440 minutes) methanol concentration, C_CH3_OHf, required in § 86.143. Record the time elapsed during this analysis. If the 4-minute sample period is inadequate to collect a sample of sufficient concentration to allow accurate GC analysis, rapidly collect the methanol sample in a bag and then bubble the bag sample through the impingers at the specified flow rate. The time elapsed between collection of the bag sample and flow through the impingers should be minimized to prevent any losses. If the test is conducted in a fixed-volume enclosure that allows airflow into and out of the enclosure, the effect of makeup air dilution must be factored into the analysis.

(n) At the end of the temperature cycling period the enclosure doors shall be unsealed and opened, the test vehicle windows and luggage compartments may be closed and the test vehicle, with the engine shut off, shall be removed from the enclosure.

(o) This completes the full three-diurnal evaporative emission test sequence described in § 86.130-96.

(p) For the supplemental two-diurnal test sequence described in § 86.130-96, the following steps shall be performed in lieu of the steps described in paragraphs (b) through (n) of this section.

(1) For the supplemental two-diurnal test sequence, the test vehicle shall be soaked for not less than 6 hours nor more than 36 hours between the end of the hot soak test described in § 86.138-96(k), and the start of the two-diurnal emission test. For at least the last 6 hours of this period, the vehicle shall be soaked at 72±3 °F.

(2) The vehicle shall be tested for diurnal emissions according to the procedures specified in paragraphs (c) through (n) of this section, except that the test includes only two 24-hour periods. Therefore the end of the first and second emission sampling periods shall occur 1440±6 and 2880±6 minutes, respectively, after the initial sampling.

(3) This completes the supplemental two-diurnal test sequence for evaporative emission measurement.

[58 FR 16039, Mar. 24, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 48509, Sept. 21, 1994; 60 FR 43896, Aug. 23, 1995]