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In the process of developing small general purpose engines, it is necessary to obtain accurate engine usage information. Commercially available measurement systems created for this purpose have unfavorable characteristics, including limited flexibility and large physical size. A compact data logging device was developed to overcome these limitations, and it was used on several lawn mowers. A microcontroller controls the data logger and acquires data. The data logger also includes a vacuum pressure sensor, tachometer input, thermocouple inputs, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The GPS receiver is used to provide machine position and velocity data, which is synchronized with the other measurements. The housing is compact (54 mm x 124 mm x 100 mm), so it can be mounted on most small engine-powered products. Setup of the data logger requires no significant engine or machine modifications, which reduces the time required to instrument a product for testing.

This paper discusses an evaporative emissions control system which significantly reduces diurnal evaporative emissions in walk behind lawnmower engines equipped with float carburetors. The system also maintains engine startability, run quality, and a simplistic user interface. The system consists of low-permeation fuel line and a multi-layer fuel tank using an EVOH barrier as well as a carbon canister integrated in the lawnmower's push-handle and an Automatic Bowl Drain System (ABDS). A prototype of the system resulted in a 90% reduction in diurnal evaporative emissions when compared to a pre-regulation walk behind lawnmower using the CARB TP-902 sealed housing for evaporative determination test. This paper demonstrates a practical solution to reduce diurnal evaporative emissions and hydrocarbon running losses below the level emitted from a state of the art, float carbureted, walk behind lawnmower engine.