Detection of carbon dioxide emissions from a diesel engine using a mid-infrared optical fibre based sensor

This paper describes an optical fibre based system suitable for monitoring the presence of carbon dioxide, “the Greenhouse gas”, in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle. Conventional automotive pollution sensors fail to meet monitoring requirements as specified by the European Commission for various reasons. The design of this sensor using low cost and compact mid-infrared components, which make it suitable for insertion into a vehicle, is discussed. The response of the sensor to carbon dioxide supplied from a cylinder in the laboratory is presented. An initial measurement of the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust system of a commercial diesel engine using the optical fibre sensor is also presented.