Final Project Report

Particulate Matter Car Exhaust Filter

By:
Lucy Mogan
Chase McAndrew
Vanessia Diaz
Nick Lloyd
 1
Table of Contents

Contribution 2

Problem Definition 2

Design Requirement 2-3

Conceptual Designs 3-6

Alternative Concepts 3-4

Evaluation of Alternatives 5-6

Selection of Concepts 6

Detailed Design 6-7

Main Features 6

Results of Analysis and Experiments 7

Manufacturing Details 7

Performance Evaluation 7

Lessons Learned 8
 2
Contribution
Lucy Mogan - Problem Definition, Design Requirements, Conceptual Designs
Nick Lloyd - Test Procedures, Lab Reports, Physical Model Construction and Testing
Chase McAndrew - Website Design, Physical Model Construction and Testing
Vanessa Diaz - Selection of concept

Problem Definition
One of the biggest problems facing our planet right now is air pollution and global warming. The
United States is the number one consumer and producer of oil in the world. The burning of fossil
fuels in vehicles and factories leads to huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The most
prevalent is carbon dioxide. It isn’t the most potent greenhouse gas but it stays in the atmosphere
for longer periods of time. Global warming itself has many different effects that all aren’t even
known today.

Air pollution can come from a multitude of things but this project is focused on motor vehicles.
Combustion engines burn gasoline to emit particulate matter, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, water, hydrocarbons, and many other harmful substances. The growing
population has led to an increase in the amount of air pollution and its effects. Countries around
the world are seeing the negative effect on air quality. Due to the lack of wealth in developing
nations, they are not privy to changing the situation created from air pollution. By providing an
affordable attachment that mitigates these issues and jobs in these regions, the quality of life for
the people there would increase dramatically.

Carbon capture and storage technology isn’t fully developed and is mostly used in larger settings
like power plants or factories. Some smaller exhaust filters for vehicles have been made but
aren’t common because of the price and inconvenience.

Design Requirements
The design strategy for this prototype started with defining the problem and lots of researching.
The problem of air pollution originates from a variety of sources but personal vehicles are one of
the top producers. The next step was going through all possible solutions to solve the problem of
air pollution and what has already been done. Carbon Capture and Storage technology was the
main inspiration when looking for possible solutions. After most of the research was done,
designing 3 different concepts was the next step. The three concepts were evaluated and
improved with further research and brainstorming. Then, using a decision matrix, the final
concept was chosen to be the one with a potassium hydroxide solution CO2 filter and a nylon
particulate filter. Moving forwards, the design needed to be tested for functionality and
performance. The experiments on both filters put a spotlight on what needed to be improved. The
 3
final step includes putting all the information and final design all together in a poster, slide show,
and document.

Performance - Must capture particulate matter and reduce the amount of CO2 expelled
Geometry - Must be able to fit on different size exhaust systems
Materials - Must be durable and heat resistant
Time - Must finish in 16 weeks
Cost - Final product must cost between $10-20
Manufacture - Must be made of minimal parts and the same kinds of material
Safety - Can’t produce any toxic gases or chemicals and must be held in place while the vehicle
is in motion
Transport - Must have the least amount of transportation to create and sell
Environment - Must have a larger benefit then cost for carbon dioxide emissions

Conceptual Designs
Alternative Concepts
Researching materials and techniques used to capture carbon dioxide and particulate matter led
to the creation of three possible solutions. All the concepts focus on the two main functions of
capturing particulate matter and carbon dioxide. The rest of the prototype has a stainless steel
outer shell and metal clamp for all three concepts.

The first concept consists of chiffon cloth and E. coli bacteria as the main components. Many
studies have been conducted on the carbon capturing effects of E. coli because of its ability to
survive in a variety of harsh climates. Scientists have done experiments to see if a strain of
bacteria can switch from their normal conditions to only consuming carbon dioxide. They found
that the bacteria can switch over to living off of carbon dioxide in large quantities. The chiffon
cloth is a strong and porous cloth material that will work well at capturing solid particulates
when layered.
 4

The second concept is a combination of a metal organic framework membrane and a metal mesh
filter. Metal organic framework works very well at capturing and storing carbon dioxide because
the structure is made to do so. Metal mesh is a good option for our product because stainless
steel can withstand heat and the exhaust system harsh environment. Metal mesh is reusable and
can be cleaned easily.

The last concept uses potassium hydroxide solution and a nylon cloth filter for the main parts.
Potassium hydroxide solution is used in larger scale carbon capture technology like Direct Air
Capture (DAC). When carbon dioxide gas comes in contact with potassium hydroxide, it
produces potassium carbonate. The reaction pulls carbon dioxide from a gaseous state out from
the air. Nylon is also a very durable cloth that can be used for hot air balloons. The fabric is
somewhat heat resistant and porus.
 5

Evaluation of Alternatives
The evaluation process was done by a decision matrix that aided in mathematically raking the
concepts. The main criteria used to evaluate the concepts were the ability to capture CO2, filter
particulates, cost, manufacturing process, and durability. The weight of each criteria is based on
how important they are to the design. The top three were the ability to capture CO2, cost, and
durability.

Evaluation Criteria Weight Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Value W × Val. Value W × Val. Value W × Val.

Captures Carbon Dioxide 0.20 7 1.4 8 1.6 6 1.2

Filters Particulate Matter 0.15 6 0.9 8 1.2 8 1.2

Quiets Sound 0.10 8 0.8 6 0.6 7 0.7

Cheap 0.20 6 1.2 3 0.6 6 1.2

Easy to Manufacture 0.15 6 0.9 5 0.9 7 1.05

Durability 0.20 6 1.2 8 1.6 6 1.2

Total 1 6.4 6.5 6.55

Concept #1
The only setback with the bacteria is the cost, extreme heat, and it would need to exist with a
multitude of other gases. The bacteria have been proven to make an impact on the amount of
CO2 in the atmosphere. The survival rate and effectiveness wouldn’t be promising enough to
continue with the idea. The setback with the chiffon is the lack of heat resistance and a possible
blockage of airflow in the exhaust system. Too much blockage could lead to back pressure and
 6
eventually turn off the engine and mess with the way it works. Other than the two main parts,
this concept would be inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

Concept #2
MOF can be very expensive because the metal is specifically created to capture a certain gas. It
works very well at capturing carbon dioxide. The metal mesh screen is very durable and easily
cleaned. Stainless steel is inexpensive and can be recycled. Overall, this concept would be too
expensive for consumers to want our product.

Concept #3
Potassium hydroxide is very inexpensive and has been promising in separating out CO2. The
potassium hydroxide will need to be replaced more often than desired. The potassium carbonate
created could be sold for profit. Nylon is used in hot air balloons so it can be manufactured as
heat resistant and durable for our purposes. It is rather easy to manufacture compared to the rest
and has decent durability.

Selection of Concept
From looking at the different matrix tables, the most promising design would be concept 3 since
it scored higher than the others. It is rather inexpensive, easily manufactured and has decent
durability along with the ability to capture CO2 which isn’t too bad. Those are among the few
important and heavily weighted components along with others for our product. The results of the
matrix led to concept 3 scoring higher by the slightest since it scored consistently on most of the
components resulting in a higher total for it.

Detailed Design
Main Features
The main features of our design include a particle filter, reusable screen, outer casing, and
potentially a CO2 capture system. The particle filter is made out of basalt, which is incredibly
competent at capturing larger particulate matter and resistant to extremely high temperatures.
The reusable screen is comprised of a metal mesh, which holds the basalt filter in place. The
outer casing is made from stamped steel and encases the filter, while attaching to the exhaust
pipe via an integrated clamp. The design may also include a soda lime cartridge that captures
CO2, changing colors when it has absorbed its maximum capacity. However, this design requires
high amounts of maintenance, which is antithetical to the central concept of our design. It is
possible to create but not logical to sell to consumers because of its short lifespan of capturing
carbon dioxide.

Results of Analysis and Experiments

 7
Throughout this project 4 experiments have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of: nylon
filters, potassium hydroxide, cotton filters, and the use of clamps vs. adhesive. The nylon filters
were effective at capturing most particulate matter, around 1-2 grams per 3 minute idle test, but
when driving burned quickly. The cotton filter had nearly the same effect. The potassium
hydroxide experiment appeared fruitless, as when CO2 was introduced to the solution it never
formed a solid as it was supposed to. Additionally, due to the fact that the solution was entirely
liquid it would have been impossible to apply inside of a hot exhaust pipe without evaporating.
Lastly, the clamp vs. adhesive test had mixed results but proved that clamps work best with
softer metals, although pinching the casing, and adhesive works better with harder metals,
although melting quickly. These combined results led us to believe that a basalt filter combined
with an integrated clamp design, for an attachment, or an insert, put inside the exhaust pipe,
would work best.

Manufacturing Details
The raw materials needed for the product are stamped steel, basalt, and adhesive. These are
easily procurable materials available on the market, both in raw and refined forms. The
manufacturing process will be carried out in third world countries, where the labor is cheap and
the greatest need for jobs is. For the attachment design, the outer shell, clamps and metal mesh
will be made entirely of stainless steel, stamped together on an assembly line. The basalt filter
will then be shaped and formed elsewhere, which then afterwards will be fastened inside of the
metal mesh, creating the completed filter. The outer casing will have an opening in the side
where the filter will snap into place and can be changed out. The filters and attachment will be
supplied to consumers separately. The integrated design will be manufactured very similarly in
regards to the filter. However, the casing will only be a half circle of stainless steel, inserted at
the mechanic’s and changed out during maintenance visits.

Performance Evaluation
Our tests were hindered greatly due to our lack of ability to acquire the necessary materials for
our proposed prototype. However, we did test our design and made several iterations of it.
Throughout all of our designs we were able to create outer casings that were able to house filters
securely. The filters tended to capture reasonably high amounts of particulate matter when the
car was in idle, however, burned up quickly when driven. We were not able to test our integrated
idea, as none of us were willing to cut a hole in our exhaust pipes, but we did make a mockup
model to show what it would look like in any case.
 8
Lessons Learned
1. Considering our limitations our design was fairly capable in its own right. However, if we
were to redesign our product, assuming we had more time and resources, we would have
attempted to integrate a clamp system directly onto the contraption, using a welding tool.
Additionally, if we were able to, we would like to test the basalt filter, using the same experiment
setup as the nylon and cotton filter tests.

2. The process as a whole provided our team with a new insight into the design process. We
learned how to create proper engineering drawing, 3d models using computer programs, create
physical models, and design experiments. Through a robust tutorial program, we learned how to
utilize perspective and orthographic drawing methods to quickly and concisely communicate
design ideas. By learning how to 3d model, we were able to plan out the physical model without
having to make time consuming mistakes and waste precious resources. Having a STEM
background, we already knew how to craft physical models, however, this class allowed us to
hone our skills even further. Lastly, because of the great amount of freedom we had, we were
forced to learn how to design our own tests and experiments. This in particular was an important
lesson to learn early on, as it is central to the scientific method.

3. Through the difficulties that we as a team endured together, we all learned valuable lessons
about teamwork and cooperation. When we began this project we were all online. This forced us
to craft better communication skills. We learned to quickly transfer ideas and decide on plans in a
timely fashion. Additionally, we developed time management skills that will be applicable for
the rest of our lives. This project required a lot of assignments to be completed and turned in.
This in particular became difficult to keep up with as we only had a semester to complete two
semesters worth of work, due to COVID. Despite this we managed to stay afloat. Lastly, we
learned how to manage our frustration. There were many times during the project where things
did not work or were in some other way maddening. However, through taking time to evaluate
our actions we acquired the skill of self regulation.