Estimating Diesel Vehicle Emission Factors at Constant and High Speeds for Short Road Segments

Vehicle emission estimates with high spatial and temporal resolution are needed to estimate near-roadway air quality and human exposure to emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) MOBILE6 emission factor model is based on test cycles with transient speeds and durations on the order of 10 min. MOBILE6 does not report emission factors for average speeds higher than 65 mph. However, for near-roadway studies, emission factors are needed for short highway segments that represent only a few seconds of vehicle travel time at approximately constant speed and speeds greater than 65 mph. Constant-speed and high-speed correction factors for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and carbon monoxide were developed on the basis of 59,286 s of EPA dynamometer emissions data for diesel vehicles from which speed–acceleration modal models were derived. The constant speed correction factor is the ratio of the emission factor at constant speed to the emissions factor during transient cycles with an equivalent average speed. For example, the constant speed correction factor for CO₂ increases from 0.71 to 1 as speed increases from 31 to 78 mph. High-speed correction factors are based on the ratio of emission factors at a constant speed greater than 65 mph to emission factors at a constant speed of 65 mph. For example, at 80 mph, the high-speed correction factor is approximately 1.5 for CO₂. Sensitivity analysis of emission estimates to these correction factors was conducted for speeds of 40 to 80 mph.