In Situ Experimental Study of Carbon Monoxide Generation by Gasoline-Powered Electric Generator in an Enclosed Space

摘要

On the basis of currently available data, approximately 97% of generator-related carbon monoxide (CO) fatalities are caused by operating currently marketed, carbureted spark-ignited gasoline-powered generators (not equipped with emission controls) in enclosed spaces. To better un-derstand and to reduce the occurrence of these fatalities, research is needed to quantify CO generation rates, de-velop and test CO emission control devices, and evaluate CO transport and exposure when operating a generator in an enclosed space. As a first step in these efforts, this paper presents measured CO generation rates from a generator without any emission control devices operating in an enclosed space under real weather conditions. This study expands on previously published information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Thirteen sep-arate tests were conducted under different weather con-ditions at half and full generator load settings. It was found that the CO level in the shed reached a maximum value of 29,300 ± 580 mg/m~3, whereas the oxygen (O_2) was depleted to a minimum level of 16.2 ± 0.02% by volume. For the test conditions of real weather and generator oper-ation, the CO generation and the O_2 consumption could be expressed as time-averaged generation/consumption rates. It was also found that the CO generation and O_2 consump-tion rates can be correlated to the O_2 levels in the space and the actual load output from the generator. These correla-tions are shown to agree well with the measurements.