Particle size distribution measurement with direct tailpipe sampling is employed to study the effect of a continuously regenerating diesel particulate filter (CRDPF) on emissions of a heavy-duty diesel engine. The CRDPF consists of an oxidation catalyst and a filter. Tests are conducted using 2 and 40 ppm sulfur content fuels and two steady-state driving modes. The formation of nucleation mode with and without CRDPF is found to depend on different parameters. Without after-treatment, size distribution is observed to have a nucleation mode only at low load. Being independent of the fuel sulfur level (with these low sulfur level fuels), this nucleation mode is suggested to form mainly from hydrocarbons. With a CRDPF-equipped engine, nucleation mode, which was not observed without CRDPF, was found at high load mode only. This nucleation mode formation was found to correlate positively with fuel sulfur content. It is suggested that sulfuric acid is a main nucleating species in this situation, resulting from the effective conversion of SO2 to SO3 in the oxidation catalyst. Using a thermodenuder confirms that the nucleation mode particles are semivolatile in nature.

The effect of lubricants on nanoparticle formation in heavy-duty diesel exhaust with and without a continuously regenerating diesel particulate filter (CRDPF) is studied. A partial flow sampling system with a particle size distribution measurement starting from 3 nm, approximately, is used. Tests are conducted using four different lubricant formulations, a very low sulfur content fuel, and four steady-state driving modes. A well-documented test procedure was followed for each test. Two different kinds of nanoparticle formation were observed, and both were found to be affected bythe lubricant but in differentway. Without CRDPF, nanoparticles were observed at low loads. No correlation between lubricant sulfur and these nanoparticles was found. These nanoparticles are suggested to form mainly from hydrocarbons. With CRDPF, installed nanoparticles were formed only at high load. The formation correlated positively with the lubricant (and fuel) sulfur level, suggesting that sulfuric compounds are the main nucleating species in this situation. Storage effects of CRDPF had an effect on nanoparticle concentration as the emissions of nanoparticles decreased over time.

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