ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS, LETTERS AND ARTICLES AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION, Hon. WARREN MAGNUSON, DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: On January 21, the APPA Legislative and Resolutions Committee, meeting in Washington, D.C., considered and endorsed S. 3072, introduced by you, Senator Jackson, and Senator Muskie, to authorize the Federal government to purchase low-emission vehicles, including those powered by electricity, "to stimulate the development, production, and distribution in interstate commerce of low-emission motor vehicles in order to provide the public increased protection against the hazards of vehicular exhaust emission." I am enclosing a copy of the resolution approved by the committee, and would appreciate it if you could insert in the hearing record on S. 3072 this indication of support for the bill by APPA, which represents 1,400 local public power systems in 47 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Sincerely, ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROCUREMENT ALEX RADIN. Whereas, air pollution is a matter of national concern and is endangering the lives and well-being of all citizens, and Whereas, automobiles, powered by internal combustion engines, emit substantial amounts of pollutants into the nation's atmosphere, and Whereas, there exists the technology necessary to produce low emission passenger and other vehicles, including those powered by electricity, capable of performing many of the tasks now performed by vehicles having internal combustion engines, and Whereas, Senators Warren G. Magnuson, Henry M. Jackson, and Edmund S. Muskie have introduced S. 3072 of the 91st Congress, which would authorize the Federal government to procure low-emission vehicles as substitutes for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines: Now therefore, be it Resolved, That the American Public Power Association supports Federal legislation, such as S. 3072 of the 91st Congress, which would authorize the Federal government to procure low-emission vehicles, including those powered by electricity, in order to demonstrate that such vehicles can perform without causing harmful air pollution. AMERICAN CYANAMID CO., DEAR SENATOR SPONG: We have read of your interest in the problems of air pollution and feel that you might like to hear about some of the work American Cyanamid Company has done in this field. Cyanamid's Refinery Chemicals Department has been especially active in the State of California program for the control of smog caused by automobile exhaust. Our anti-smog automobile exhaust system was one of the first systems approved for use on the 1966 model cars. This was a joint development between Walker Manufacturing Company and ourselves. A description of the system and how it works is enclosed as well as a report termed, "The Reactive Hydrocarbons in Motor Vehicle Exhaust". As an active participant in the fight against smog-forming automotive exhaust emissions, American Cyanamid Company favors control standards that will result in clean air. We continue to carry on research and development programs directed to the solution of this air pollution problem. 41-711 0-70-12 We hope that you will not hesitate to contact us if you wish additional information. Very truly yours, ROBERT J. PHELAN, Development-Air Purification. ""THE WALKER-CYANAMID ANTI-SMOG EXHAUST SYSTEM" The Walker-Cyanamid anti-smog exhaust system consists of four basic ele ments: (1) the catalytic converter, which replaces the standard muffier; (2) a venturi; (3) a throttle positioner; and (4) an annual engine tune-up or adjustment. In the catalytic reactor, the exhaust gases pass through a bed of catalyst. Here the unburned smog-forming elements and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas are "burned" and thereby converted into water and carbon dioxide. Air for this combustion is supplied by a specially designed venturi that sucks air into the exhaust stream. Both the annual engine tune-up and the throttle positioner contribute to economy and efficient operation. The tune-up reduces the concentration of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in exhaust gas to limit the heat load on the reactor. This enables the use of smaller devices, more economical material, and eliminates the need for temperature controls. During driving, high-speed deceleration generates the greatest amount of hydrocarbons. In the Walker-Cyanamid system, the throttle positioner controls and decreases these emissions. While providing conventional muffler sound control, the system and tune-up afford increased car performance with an average fuel savings of nearly ten percent. According to test results, our system qualified well within the state-set standards which permit 275 parts per million of averaged hydrocarbons and 1.5 percent carbon monoxide in exhaust gases. In an accelerated 12,000-mile test program, the Walker-Cyanamid system reduced the hydrocarbon level to 234 ppm and carbon monoxide to 0.64 percentwell below the standards established by the State of California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board and the Department of Health. More significantly, the system actually does a better job of preventing smog than the test results indicate. The 275 ppm maximum set for hydrocarbons is based on a method that measure all hydrocarbons in exhaust gas collectively. Some hydrocarbons, however, have a negligible effect on smog formation, whereas the reactive hydrocarbons are the principal causes of smog-forming reactions. The Walker-Cyanamid system is particularly effective in singling out and reducing the reactive hydrocarbons, eliminating about 80% even after 12,000 miles of use. "THE REACTIVE HYDROCARBONS IN MOTOR VEHICLE EXHAUST" The exhaust gases emitted from automobiles consist of numerous chemical com pounds, many of them do not cause smog and are not health hazards. The troublemakers are carbon monoxide, and some hydrocarbons and unburned or partially burned gasoline. The worst offenders are the “olefinic” hydrocarbons, which react with nitrogen oxides (in exhaust gases) in the presence of sunlight to form smog These are the "reactive hydrocarbons." When the present California hydrocarbon standard was established, it was recognized that these reactive hydrocarbons were the principal cause of smog However, because a good method for measuring reactive hydrocarbons was not known at the time, the standard was based on a method that measures all hydrocarbons collectively. Thus, although the present California standard requires a substantial reduc tion in hydrocarbons, it does not specifically require the reduction of the smog. forming reactive hydrocarbons. It appears, that the contemplated Federal standards will follow California's pattern. In the last several years, test methods have been developed that distinguish between the various types of hydrocarbons in exhaust gas. Such methods as gas phase chromatography or differential flame ion analysis are quite adequate for this purpose. We are, incidentally, proud to point out that American Cyanamid Company was instrumental in the development of the latter method. By using these new techniques to analyze treated and untreated exhaust, one can tell if the real offenders are being eliminated. Cyanamid feels strongly that new hydrocarbon standards should be adopted based on these improved analytical techniques and aimed at reducing the reactive or smog-forming hydrocarbons. By aiming specifically at the cause of the problem, we will have a better chance of reducing the smog formation. Hon. WARREN MAGNUSON, [Telegram] DETROIT, MICH., February 10, 1970. U.S. Senate, Old Senate Office Building, Following wire was sent today to Philip A. Hart, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. American Motors Corporation strongly supports the intent of the legislation embodied in S. 3072 because we believe that environmental quality is of major concern to all. If enacted into law, the bill will accomplish two things. It will provide a valuable and realistic incentive without regard to the mode employed, for development of lower emission vehicles. It will also provide to the government and industry invaluable field experience with new equipment prior to its introduction to the general market. The automotive industry has worked diligently to solve the engine emission problem since it was discovered in the 1950's that its product was a major contributor to photo chemical smog. Like the other manufacturers, American Motors has not limited its efforts to reducing the emissions from the internal combustion engine. Although we do not undertake programs on the same scale as General Motors, Ford or Chrysler, we have been, and are presently individually or jointly with other organizations, conducting research projects in the fields of electronic automobiles and steam propelled vehicles. Please be assured that we will continue to work for improvement in quality of our environment. Sincerely, American Motors Corp., STATEMENT OF WALLACE TRIPLETT, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OF VEGA ASSOCIATES, DETROIT, MICH. Senator Hart, Vega Associates is a research and development firm concerned with special-vehicle development. We have had success over the past 4 years in developing a new vehicular structural system that offers the advantages of dent resistance, economical repair, increased impact safety, and is easily disposed of at the end of its usefulness without littering the landscape or polluting the air. We constructed a prototype to prove our theories. The vehicle built was a fourpassenger recreational type, and it was selected because it offered the opportunity for offroad as well as highway operation, and thereby more clearly demonstrated the validity of the structural system. It is our belief, as well as others, that the introduction of zero-pollution transportation can be hastened by the utilization of our vehicular structural system because it readily lends itself to limited production with minimal tooling costs. According to an article in the Industrial Design Journal by a specialist in automotive economics, Dr. Lloyd D. Orr, assistant professor of economics at Indiana University, "to leave the development of the electric car to the major auto firms would be as foolish as it would have been to have put a conservative livery stable operator in charge of the development of the horseless carriage." Dr. Orr's statement continued: "The greater reliability of electric motors will eliminate the need for complex network of dealers, while the use of plastics for structural parts will provide economy of manufacture on a much smaller scale. Finally the longer life and greater durability of electrics will destroy the myth that cars must be replaced every 3 years". There has been much experimentation to substitute plastics for metals, but very little has been done since the introduction of the first all-plastic car 17 years ago to design structurally with the freedom plastics allow. As a cooperative venture with Electric Fuel Propulsion, Inc. of Detroit, Mich., a firm whose testimony before this and similar hearings, and study groups is a matter of record,' and whose propulsion system has clearly demonstrated its superiority, Vega has undertaken to develop a zero-pollution vehicle. Vega Associates is requesting of this committee that financial assistance be made available to fund this development program. The capital requested and a general breakdown of expenditure of it would be: Facility and equipment----. Engineering, design, prototype tooling, and prototype vehicle_. Test and development.. Production engineering Total Facility and equipment, $260,000 $260,000 600, 000 100,000 200, 000 1, 160, 000 Facility, $90,000.-Three-year lease of a 30,000-square-foot, single-level, zoned gas-fired heat, air-conditioned, fireproof-construction sprinkler system, with loading dock (truck), parking lot, and direct highway access. Equipment, $170,000.-Dual, electric platen, thermoforming machine (10 feet by 20 feet mold area), top stroke 50 inches, bottom stroke 24 inches, mold temperature control unit and vapor cooling spray ($45,000). Shop tools, power tools, hand tools, and expendables. Equipment for the following activities.—($125,000) A. Administrative. B. Engineering. C. Design. D Test and development. E. Material handling. F. Maintenance Engineering, design, prototype tooling and construction of prototype vehicle, $600,000 Engineering, $200,000.-Chassis development; electrical propulsion system adaptation; integration of subsystems; component selection; establishment of design parameters; body design package drawings; performance circulations. Design, $150,000.-Concept; configuration development; scale layout drawings; three-eighth scale clay study model; three-eighths fiberglass wind tunnel model; wind tunnel test program; full-size exterior clay model; full-size interior seating buck. Prototype tooling, $48,000.—Forming molds for exterior body shell, interior trim panels, compartment covers and impact sections; rear-window-bending form; chassis welding fixture; tube bending jigs; drilling templates, and trimming patterns. Prototype build, $202,000.-Chassis fabrication; fabrication of battery compartments; installation of electrical propulsion system and subsystems; fabrication of compartment covers and exterior body panels; fabrication of body inner structure; assembly of body inner structure, required body framing and body mounts to chassis; assembly of exterior body panels to body inner structure and chassis; installation of instrumentation, wire hookup and connection of controls; installation of seats and interior trim; installation of body lighting and hardware; application of finish and ornamentation. Test and development, $100,000 Test.-Complete checkout of components, subsystems and electric propulsion system under controlled condition to verify their function. Short road trips to 1 Statement of Robert R. Aronson, president of Electric Fuel Propulsion, Inc., before the Senate Antitrust and Monopoly Subcommittee, Oct. 3, 1967. The Mars 2 electric car, Society of Automotive Engineers (paper on electric fuel propulsion), May 1968. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment, Commerce Committee, Robert Aronson, Jan. 29, 1970. |