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The use of a partial flow sampling system (PFSS) to measure nonroad steady-state diesel engine particulate matter (PM) emissions is a technique for certification approved by a number of regulatory agencies around the world including the US EPA. Recently, there have been proposals to change future nonroad tests to include testing over a nonroad transient cycle. PFSS units that can quantify PM over the transient cycle have also been discussed. The full flow constant volume sampling (CVS) technique has been the standard method for collecting PM under transient engine operation. It is expensive and requires large facilities as compared to a typical PFSS. Despite the need for a cheaper alternative to the CVS, there has been a concern regarding how well the PM measured using a PFSS compared to that measured by the CVS. In this study, three PFSS units, including AVL SPC, Horiba MDLT, and Sierra BG-2 were investigated in parallel with a full flow CVS.

Partial flow sampling methods in emissions testing are interesting and preferred because of their lower cost, smaller size and applicability to engines of all sizes. However the agreement of the results obtained with instruments based on this method to those obtained with the traditional, large tunnel full flow sampling systems needs to be achieved, and the factors of construction that influence this agreement must be understood. These issues have received more attention lately in connection with ISO and WHDC standardization efforts underway to achieve a world-wide harmony in the sampling methods for heavy duty diesel engines, and with the introduction of similar Bag-minidiluter techniques into light duty SULEV gaseous pollutant measurement. This paper presents the theory and practice of a partial flow probe and tunnel design that addresses and minimizes the undesirable effects of the necessary differences between the two sampling methods.

The CMS system commissioned by EPA and built by AVL, is a “start from a clean sheet of paper” approach to a full flow sampling system for aerosol matter from engine exhaust. The challenge of measuring 2007 level post DPF type particulate matter and polyaromatic hydrocarbons led to this re-thinking of sampler design. Previously used CVS designs had evolved to include elements that were not ideally suited for scaling up to large flow rates, and had mixing tunnels that were less than ideal for the sampling of complicated aerosols. The solution presented in this paper used ultrasonic time-of-flight flowmeters in place of the usual Venturi flow tubes, reducing the size and cost of air handling components. Acoustically designed dampeners were used to reduce pulsation disturbances to the flow measurement.