The Dubai Police issued an advisory on 29 January 2023, asking residents to be aware of Carbon Monoxide poisoning which causes lots of health issues and could even lead to death. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced by vehicles, stoves, fuel-burning lanterns, fireplaces and furnaces, etc. All of the aforementioned sources of CO are commonplace in colder regions where such devices are used to keep buildings warm. In the UAE, however, vehicles are the most common source of CO.
How Dangerous Is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide is dangerous not just to humans but to other living creatures as well. CO is lethal because it reduces the oxygen flow in the body which in turn leads to the failure of some body parts and eventually, the loss of life. Some of the symptoms of CO inhalation include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, confusion, etc.
Most gases generally have an inherent odour, taste, or colour, but Carbon Monoxide doesn’t have any of it and that makes it difficult to detect. The only way to identify if CO is present in the air is through a CO detector device. The Dubai Police have even suggested the use of these devices in closed spaces like garages.
How Does A Vehicle Produce Carbon Monoxide?
An internal combustion engine functions by taking in fuel and air into the cylinders, burning it, and then emitting burnt gases through its exhaust system. This is a process that takes place thousands of times every minute, depending on engine speed.
When the fuel is burnt efficiently and completely, the engine produces CO2 (Carbon-di-oxide) and very little CO (Carbon Monoxide) along with a few other gases. However, when the fuel burn is inefficient and incomplete, the partially burnt fuel molecules result in the emission of higher levels of CO.
While most modern cars do not produce a lot of CO, many older engines do produce lots of it as they aren’t as efficient or environment friendly.
Here’s How Carbon Monoxide Emissions Can Be Controled & Reduced
Modern Vehicles With Advanced Powertrains Do Make A Difference
As it turns out, environment-friendly cars are not just better for the environment but are healthier for humans who use them as well. The exhaust systems in such cars are much more than just metal pipes that reroute exhaust gases to the rear.
The exhaust systems have complicated technologies and converters built-in that might be difficult to service or repair, but they work like a charm in reducing greenhouse emissions like CO and CO2. There are over 10,000 new cars for sale in the UAE at DubiCars with these modern emission-reducing powertrain systems.
Electric Vehicles for The Win
Electric vehicles have been criticised by many for various reasons and it is possible to find a few downsides to them. Range anxiety, availability of charging infrastructure, etc, are debatable topics. However, when it comes to end emissions or the lack of it, electric vehicles are a clear winner.
Carbon Monoxide or Carbon-di-Oxide cannot be produced simply because there is no internal combustion engine at play here. Hence, carbon monoxide poisoning is impossible with an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles certainly are the future and DubiCars has over 710 new electric cars in the UAE while the number of used electric cars in the UAE is significant too.
Defective & Modified Exhaust Systems Are Risky
Modified and upgraded exhaust systems certainly sound great because they do away with most of the barriers inside the exhaust system, thereby allowing the exhaust gases to flow freely. This does let the engine breathe easily. However, as aforementioned, these aftermarket exhaust systems achieve this by doing away with the emission reduction systems built into the factory exhaust, thereby increasing CO emissions.
Soft-Top or Hard-Top?
The logic here is quite simple. A properly sealed cabin will allow little to no amounts emissions into the cabin, whereas a soft top will allow higher amounts of CO, CO2, and everything else there is out there. This is also true for the rear of a pickup truck. In fact, some research into the topic revealed that active children when driven around in the back of a pickup truck felt sleepy almost immediately and this was linked to the inhalation of Carbon Monoxide.
However, a modern convertible with a modern engine and exhaust system should negate the emissions before they are even sent out into the atmosphere. If you are interested in one of these modern convertibles, DubiCars has over 50 convertible/soft-top cars on sale in the UAE.
Do Not Sit Idle
Often found as the centrepiece of motivational speeches, the statement ‘Do Not Sit Idle’ applies to your vehicle as much as it does to any human. If parked in an enclosed space like a basement parking or a garage, avoid idling the engine of your car.
Firstly, the engine isn’t really running at a speed that is efficient enough to burn all of the fuel being pumped in. Most petrol engines idle at speeds of between 900 and 1,200rpm while most diesel engines idle between 600 and 900rpm. This of course depends on the size of the engine and the number of cylinders. However, the basic fact still remains. An idling engine produces more CO than if it is running at an efficient speed.
Turbocharged, Supercharged, or Naturally Aspirated?
This question does seem like it is addressed at an article that promotes increasing the power output of your engine. Well, an engine that is tuned to produce more power from lower displacement is in-fact, more efficient, and more efficiency leads to lower emissions. This is the primary reason for most manufacturers replacing the big old, large-displacement V8 engines with lower-displacement turbocharged engines.
A classic example of this for the UAE market comes in the form of the new Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 replacing the older LC200. The iconic SUV is now powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, while the older LC200 was powered by a 4.5-litre V8. Force-feeding air into an engine through a turbocharger or supercharger forcefully alters the stoichiometric ratio of the fuel-air mixture, thereby making the engine more efficient and reducing emissions while also increasing performance.
