Lead served a dual purpose as a gas additive: -It was a cheap way to increase octane rating -It coated nicely the inside of the cylinders, reducing wear.

Of course, Tetra-ethyl lead is toxic, to the environment in general, and to people, including you and me. Lead will also completely destroy the catalytic converter of your car.

My half-baked idea would be to add a lead scrubber before the catalytic converter, so we can use cheap leaded gas, and reduce valve friction, while staying environmentally friendly.

What is needed is a 100% efficient lead scrubber, because any escaping lead would bollix the catalytic converter, and make the car fail its emissions control test.

The lead filters could be changed at the same time as oil changes, and the lead be recycled into brand-new toxic fuel additive !

What say you ?

_Arthur
-- _Arthur, Jan 05 2005

Brita filter http://brewery.org/.../FiltBrita0596.html
Says it pulls out 93% of lead - not a bad rate. [shapu, Jan 05 2005]

//What is needed is a 100% efficient lead scrubber//
That's a shame! Any idea where to buy one?
-- gnomethang, Jan 05 2005


Use a Brita filter.
-- shapu, Jan 05 2005


93% is not too bad, but we need 100%!. Speaking as a failed chemist, I bet it doesn't take out 93% of petrochemical lead shite!
-- gnomethang, Jan 05 2005


I say that leaded gasoline is no more a new invention than a spear.
-- contracts, Jan 05 2005


One key question to determining the feasibility of this would be knowing what combustion products tetra-ethyl lead will yield. If the primary lead by-products are PbO and PbO2, it may be possible to filter those fairly effectively based on their density. Not sure how best to accomplish that, though.

A more interesting question would be whether the use of oxygenated gasoline and computer-controlled fuel injectors could render the catalytic convertor obsolete (when using a catalytic convertor, it's necessary for engines to deliberately leave unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust to 'feed' the catalytic convertor; if the engine controller instead tried to achieve 100% combustion it might be more efficient).
-- supercat, Jan 05 2005


Ethylene Dibromide (EDB) was usually added to leaded gasoline as scavenger agent, so the exhaust would be rich in lead bromide, rather than lead oxide.

Bromide is none too healthy either.
-- _Arthur, Jan 05 2005



random, halfbakery