Inter-Laboratory Correlation Exercise with Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) on Chassis Dynamometers

Abstract

The recently introduced Real Driving Emissions (RDE) light-duty vehicle emissions regulation requires testing with Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) during type approval and in-service conformity. The studies on the accuracy of PEMS today are limited. An inter-laboratory correlation exercise with PEMS took place in Italy in 2017. Eight laboratories measured exhaust emissions from a Golden Euro 6 gasoline vehicle with a Golden PEMS installed in it, along with the individual lab’s own PEMS, following the regulated laboratory method (bags from the dilution tunnel). The data of the exercise were used to estimate the repeatability and reproducibility of the methodology with PEMS. The statistical analysis estimated reproducibility of 2.9% (bags) to 5.5% (lab PEMS) for CO2, 20–25% for CO (all methods), 23–31% for NOx (all methods), and 29% (tunnel, Golden PEMS) to 39% (lab PEMS) for particle number. The mean differences of the PEMS to the regulated method were ±1.5 g/km (or ±1%) for CO2, <16 mg/km (or <5%) for CO, <4 mg/km (or <11%) for NOx and 1 × 1011 particles/km (40%) for particle number. The results of this study confirm the satisfactory performance of PEMS and the permissible tolerances introduced in RDE regulation.