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In the current diesel vehicle exhaust emissions legislation Particle Number (PN) limits for solid particles >23 nm are prescribed. The legislation was extended to include Gasoline Direct Injection (G-DI) vehicles since September 2014. Target of this paper was to investigate whether smaller than 23 nm solid particles are emitted from engines in considerable concentration focusing on G-DI engines. The literature survey and the experimental investigation of >15 vehicles showed that engines emit solid sub-23 nm particles. The average percentage over a test cycle for G-DIs (30-40%) is similar to diesel engines. These percentages are relatively low considering the emission limit levels (6×1011 p/km) and the repeatability (10-20%) of the particle number method. These percentages are slightly higher compared to the percentages expected theoretically not to be counted due to the 23 nm cut-off size (5-15%).

In the current heavy-duty engine and light-duty diesel vehicle exhaust emission legislation Particle Number (PN) limits for solid particles >23 nm are prescribed. The legislation was extended to include Gasoline Direct Injection (G-DI) vehicles since September 2014 and will be applied to Non-Road Mobile Machinery engines in the future. However there are concerns transferring the same methodology to other engine technologies, where higher concentration of sub-23 nm particles might exist. This paper focuses on the capabilities of existing PN measurement equipment on measuring solid particles smaller than 23 nm.

The European Commission plans to introduce a (solid) particle number (PN) emission limit for type approval and in-service conformity (ISC) by the end of 2018 (Euro VI d) using PEMS (Portable Emission Measurement System) tests on heavy duty vehicles on the road. Performance, measurement accuracy and sensitivity of several on-board particle counters for heavy duty applications have not been tested yet in parallel on a chassis dyno with Euro VI vehicle (N3-class, 12.8 l). The PN PEMS examined were CPC (Condensation Particle Counter) and DC (Diffusion Charger) based. Evaluation was conducted at different ambient temperatures from −7 °C to 35 °C while running different test cycles: WHVC (World Harmonized Vehicle Cycle), steady state engine operation, active regeneration and ISC-tests. A particle number system following the current heavy duty regulation requirement and recommendations of the Particle Measurement Program (PMP) served as reference (PMP_TP).

The subject of exhaust particulate emissions from road vehicles continues to gain attention and further, more stringent legislative demands are expected in this area. While the European Union has been at the forefront in recent decades, other jurisdictions are making progress towards more comprehensive control and limitation of exhaust particulate. This technical overview examines past, current and likely future (Euro 7) legislative requirements and also presents sample results from a range of vehicle types, in order to make comparisons and discuss the impact of expected regulatory updates. The impacts of powertrain trends, including hybridization, on exhaust particulate emissions and their control are briefly analyzed. Regulatory trends including the intention to move the lower boundary of the size range considered from 23 nm to 10 nm and the elimination of fuel- and technology-specific limits on particulate emissions are discussed and their implications analyzed.