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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/E050085/1
Title Characterization and Reduction of Nano and Ultra Fine Particulate Emissions from Diesel Engines: A look beyond 2010 Emission Regulations
Status Completed
Energy Categories Energy Efficiency(Transport) 5%;
Not Energy Related 90%;
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of transport biofuels (incl. Production from wastes)) 5%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr LC Ganippa
No email address given
Sch of Engineering and Design
Brunel University
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 April 2008
End Date 31 March 2010
Duration 24 months
Total Grant Value £204,651
Industrial Sectors Transport Systems and Vehicles
Region London
Programme Materials, Mechanical and Medical Eng, Process Environment and Sustainability
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr LC Ganippa , Sch of Engineering and Design, Brunel University (100.000%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , Johnson Matthey plc (0.000%)
Project Contact , Shell Global Solutions UK (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract In recent years, more diesel than gasoline cars have been sold in Europe. Although diesel cars obtain 25-35% better mileage and emit less carbon dioxide than similar gasoline cars, they can emit about 25 to 400 times more particulate matter. Diesel exhaust is one of the largest sources of fine, ultra-fine and nano particulates, and they are suspended in the air for a long period of time before they settle on to the ground.Exposure to nano-soot particulates can lead to a variety of significant health problems including: aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease. It has been shown in the literature that the nano particle number density from the engine exhaust could be as high as 5 x10^11 particles/cm3 and it is possible to produce nano-particles even below the lowest known sooting thresholds. Through the use of DPF and alternate fuels, the total soot mass canbe reduced in the exhaust, but still it accounts for most of the ultra-fine and nano particulates. It is the particle number density and their surface area, which accounts for the health risk and not the actual soot mass.This project aims to understand better the fuel (BTL, GTL and bio-diesel) effects on the in-cylinder production of the most harmful ultra-fine and nano particulates and the exhaust soot particulate size, number distribution, morphology and composition with and without catalystaidedparticulate filter under different injection and EGR strategies.These investigations will be carried out in two stages: In the first stage in-cylinder production and oxidation of soot particulates will be investigated using advanced laser diagnostics such as time resolved laser induced incandescence. These in-cylinder measurements will be carried out in a single cylinder optical engine. In the second stage sampling will be performed at the exhaust of a multi-cylinder engine: both thermophoricsampling and scanning mobility particle sizing will be employed. The soot samples collected through thermophoric sampling will further be investigated in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and an energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis to understand the size, structure, morphology and the composition of the soot
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 01/06/07