Measurement of rail vehicles exhaust emissions

The basic problem in terms of measuring exhaust emissions is the approval tests of traction vehicles, which are carried out on engine dynamometers. Therefore, it is impossible to obtain reliable results concerning their actual impact on the natural environment. It is therefore advisable to carry out the tests in real operation conditions, as is the case for road vehicles for which RDE (Real Driving Emissions) tests are carried out. The latest Stage V emission standards push for the introduction of this type of test, but no limit values for toxic exhaust gases have been established and no test guidelines have been defined for assessing actual emissions. This article describes the issues related to the legislative guidelines for non-road vehicles in force in Europe, as well as the measurement tools used, such as mobile equipment for measuring emissions of PEMS (Portable Emissions Measurement Systems) and newly developed emission gates. Additionally, the paper presents examples of locomotive exhaust emission tests in real operating conditions. The aim of the measurements was to assess the emission of toxic compounds against the relevant standards. The subject of the research was a diesel locomotive type T448.P equipped with a modernized internal combustion engine.