Investigation of Nitro-Organic Compounds in Diesel Engine Exhaust: Final Report, February 2007 - April 2008

Matthew Ratcliff, Matthew Ratcliff (NREL Technical Monitor)

Research output: NRELSubcontract Report

Abstract

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory upgraded its ReFUEL engine and vehicle testing facility to speciate unregulated gas-phase emissions. To complement this capability, the laboratory contracted with the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) to study the effects of soy biodiesel fuel and a diesel particle filter (DPF) on emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitro-polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (NPAH). CSM developed procedures to sample diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from raw and diluted exhaust, with and without a DPF. They also developed improved procedures for extracting PAH and NPAH from the PM and quantifying them with a gas chromatograph-electron monochromator mass spectrometer. The study found the DPF generally reduced PAH emissions by 1 to 3orders of magnitude. PAH conversion was lowest for B100, suggesting that PAHs were forming in the DPF. Orders of magnitude reductions were also found for NPAH emissions exiting the DPF.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages56
StatePublished - 2010

Bibliographical note

Work peformed by Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/SR-540-45597

Keywords

  • biodiesel fuels
  • diesel particulate filters
  • engine exhaust
  • engine testing
  • fuel tests
  • nitro-organic compounds
  • particulate matter (PM)
  • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

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