INFLUENCE OF FUEL REFORMULATION ON PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICULATE MATTER EMITTED FROM A STATIONARY COMPRESSION-IGNITION (CI) ENGINE

Abstract

THIS DOCTORAL STUDY REPRESENTS THE FIRST ATTEMPT OF ITS KIND TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER (DPM) EMISSIONS RESULTING FROM THE COMBUSTION OF DIESEL EITHER BLENDED WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF OXYGENATES OR DOPED IN METAL-BASED FUEL BORNE CATALYSTS (FBCS), AND TO RELATE THESE CHANGES TO THE TOXICITY OF DPM IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER. THE OUTCOME OF THIS RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE QUANTITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF DPM ARE AFFECTED BY THE OXYGEN CONTENT, THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND THERMO-PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF OXYGENATED FUELS AS WELL AS ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS. AS FOR FBCS-DOPED FUELS, THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE PARTICULATE MASS AND ELEMENTAL CARBON EMISSIONS, BUT DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE EMISSIONS OF METAL-RICH NUCLEI MODE PARTICLES. FURTHERMORE, THE REFORMULATED FUELS ALSO LEAD TO A CHANGE IN PARTICLE TOXICITY DUE TO THE MODIFIED CONTENT OF TOXIC SPECIES IN PARTICLES.