[sustran] Re: low compression vs high compression

[Roberto Verzola]

I thank Eric and Joel for their patient explanations. I will study
the points and perhaps reevaluate my own thinking, which is mainly
based on Barry Commoner's analysis of low-compression vs.
high-compression engines.

But I still haven't seen any response to Commoner's assertion that the
main byproducts of low-compression burning are water vapor and CO2,
while that of high-compression burning are different and worse
pollutants altogether, because the chemistry is different at higher
pressures/temperatures. If he is right (he called the high-compression
engine a more efficient smog generator), it would still make the
high-compression engine more pollutive.

If I appear to belabor the point, this is because in the Philippines
motorcycle engines are widely used for public transport within and
among neighboring villages, using what we call "tricycles"
(motorcycles with sidecars), and some designs can carry as much as 10
people... So it is important for me (as I am involved in sustainable
transport issues) to know how pollutive these engines are, vis-a-vis
private cars, jeepneys (somewhat smaller than minibuses in the
Philippine setting) or buses.

Regards.

Obet Verzola