ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

Abstract

This study presents an analytical assessment of the environmental performance of internal combustion engines and investigates the effectiveness of alternative fuels and modern emission reduction technologies. The research analyzed harmful exhaust emissions, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and particulate matter (PM), produced under different fuel and operating conditions. Experimental and comparative analyses showed that conventional gasoline and diesel fuels generate high emission levels, while alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG), biofuels, and hydrogen significantly reduce environmental pollution. The results indicated that CNG decreases CO₂ emissions by 20–25% and NOx emissions by 35–40% compared to traditional fuels. In addition, modern technologies such as Common Rail, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF), and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems demonstrated high efficiency in reducing harmful emissions. The study confirms that the combined application of alternative fuels and advanced ecological technologies can improve energy efficiency and support environmentally sustainable transportation systems.