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Studies have been conducted at Michigan Technological University (MTU) for over twenty years on methods for characterizing and controlling particulate emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines and the resulting effects on regulated and unregulated emissions. During that time, control technologies have developed in response to more stringent EPA standards for diesel emissions. This paper is a review of: 1) modern emission control technologies, 2) emissions sampling and chemical, physical and biological characterization methods and 3) summary results from recent studies conducted at MTU on heavy-duty diesel engines with a trap and an oxidation catalytic converter (OCC) operated on three different fuels. Control technology developments discussed are particulate traps, catalysts, advances in engine design, the application of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and modifications of fuel formulations.

An Andersen Impactor was used to collect particulate samples in both the undiluted and diluted exhaust from a Caterpillar 3150 diesel engine operated on the EPA 13-mode cycle. A total of 24 samples were examined using the transmission electron microscope and approximately 300 photomicrographs were taken. The microscope analysis and photomicrographs revealed details concerning the physical characteristics of the particulate and permitted a direct visual comparison of the samples collected. The photomicrographs were used to obtain diameter measurements of the basic individual spherical particles that comprise the much larger aggregates/agglomerates. Nearly 11,000 basic particles were measured and the observed range of diameters was 70-1200 Å. The mean particle diameters in the undiluted and diluted exhaust samples were 479 Å and 436 Å respectively. respectively. A respectively. 436 A respectively.

Protocols for sampling and analysis of particulate and gaseous-phase diesel emissions were developed to characterize the chemical and biological effects of using ceramic traps as particulate control devices. A stainless-steel sampler was designed, constructed, and tested with XAD-2 sorbent for the collection of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Raw exhaust levels of TPM and SOF and mutagenicity of the SOF and VOC were all reduced when the traps were used. Hydrocarbon mass balances indicated that some hydrocarbons were not collected by the sampling system and that the proportions of collected SOF and VOC were altered by the use of the traps. SOF hydrocarbons appeared to be derived mainly from engine lubricating oil; VOC hydrocarbons were apparently fuel-derived. There was no apparent effect on SOF mutagenicity due to either sampling time or reexposure of particulate to exhaust gases.

This research quantifies the effects of a copper fuel additive on the regulated [oxides of nitrogen (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and total particulate matter (TPM)] and unregulated emissions [soluble organic fraction (SOF), vapor phase organics (XOC), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nitro-PAH, particle size distributions and mutagenic activity] from a 1988 Cummins LTA10 diesel engine using a low sulfur fuel. The engine was operated at two steady state modes (EPA modes 9 and 11, which are 75 and 25% load at rated speed, respectively) and five additive levels (0, 15, 30, 60 and 100 ppm Cu by mass) with and without a ceramic trap. Measurements of PAH and mutagenic activity were limited to the 0, 30 and 60 ppm Cu levels. Data were also collected to assess the effect of the additive on regeneration temperature and duration. Copper species collected within the trap were identified and exhaust copper concentrations quantified.

In this study, the effects of an oxidation catalytic converter (OCC) on regulated and unregulated emissions from a 1991 prototype Cummins I.10-310 diesel engine fueled with a 0.01 weight percent sulfur fuel were investigated. The OCC's effects were determined by measuring and comparing selected raw exhaust emissions with and without the platinum-based OCC installed in the exhaust system, with the engine operated at three steady-state modes. It was found that the OCC had no significant effect on oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and nitric oxide (NO) at any mode, but reduced hydrocarbon (HC) emmissions by 60 to 70 percent. The OCC reduced total particulate matter (TPM) levels by 27 to 54 percent, primarily resulting from 53 to 71 percent reductions of the soluble organic fraction (SOF). The OCC increased sulfate (SO42-) levels at two of the three modes (modes 9 and 10), but the overall SO42- contribution to TPM was less than 6 percent at all modes due to the low sulfur level of the fuel.

One of the more objectionable aspects of the use of diesel engines has been the emission of particulate matter. A literature review of combustion flames, theoretical calculations and dilution tunnel experiments have been performed to elucidate the chemical and physical processes involved in the formation of diesel particulate matter. A comparative dilution tunnel study of diluted and undiluted total particulate data provided evidence supporting calculations that indicate hydro-carbon condensation should occur in the tunnel at low exhaust temperatures. The sample collection system for the measurement of total particulate matter and soluble sulfate in particulate matter on the EPA 13 mode cycle is presented. A method to correct for hydrocarbon interferences in the EPA barium chloranilate method for the determination of sulfate in particulate matter is discussed.

Diesel exhaust particle size distributions were measured using an Electrical Aerosol Analyzer (EAA) with both conventional (0.31 wt. pet sulfur) and low sulfur fuel (0.01 wt pet sulfur) with and without a ceramic diesel particle filter (DPF). The engine used for this study was a 1988 heavy-duty diesel engine (Cummins LTA10-300) operated at EPA steady-state modes 9 and 11. The particle size distribution results indicated the typical bi-modal distribution; however, there were clear differences in the number of particles in each mode for all conditions. For the baseline conditions with no DPF, there was more than one order of magnitude greater number of particles in the nuclei mode for the conventional fuel as compared to the low sulfur fuel, while the accumulation modes for each fuel were nearly identical.

A study of the Corning ceramic diesel particulate trap was conducted to investigate the trap's overall effect on diesel particulate fractions (soluble organic fraction. SOF; solid fraction, SOL; and sulfate fraction. SO4) under four different engine loads at 1680 rpm. The trap was found to filter the SOL fraction most efficiently with the SOF and SO4 fraction following in respective order. The filter efficiency of all fractions increased with increasing engine load. Graphs illustrating filter efficiency versus engine load indicate the slope of the SOF filter efficiency was smaller in magnitude than the TPM and SOL and SO4, fractions, which had similar slopes. The different slope of the SOF filter efficiency indicates other influences may be involved with the reduction in the SOF through the trap. Particle size distribution measurements in diluted exhaust revealed particle formation downstream of the trap.

This study was conducted to assess the effects of a low sulfur (<0.05 wt.%) fuel and an uncatalyzed ceramic particle trap on heavy-duty diesel emissions during both steady-state operation and during periods of electrically assisted trap regeneration. A Cummins LTA10-300 engine was operated at two steady-state modes with and without the trap. The exhaust trap system included a Corning EX-54 trap with an electrically assisted regeneration system. Both regulated emissions (oxides of nitrogen - NOx, total hydrocarbons - HC, and total particulate matter - TPM) and some unregulated emissions (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons - PAH soluble organic fraction - SOF, sulfates, vapor phase organics, and mutagenic activity) were measured during baseline, trap, and regeneration conditions. Emissions were collected with low sulfur (0.01 wt.%) fuel and compared to emissions with a conventional sulfur (0.32 wt.%) fuel. These fuels also varied in other fuel properties.

A study was undertaken to investigate the affect of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on engine wear and lubricating oil degradation in a heavy duty diesel engine using a newly developed methodology that uses analytical ferrography in conjunction with short term tests. Laboratory engine testing was carried out on a Cummins NTC-300 Big Cam II diesel engine at rated speed (1800 RPM) and 75% rated load with EGR rates of 0, 5, and 15% using a SAE 15W40 CD/SF/EO-K oil. Dynamometer engine testing involved collecting oil samples from the engine sump at specified time intervals through each engine test. These oil samples were analyzed using a number of different oil analysis techniques that provide information on the metal wear debris and also on the lubricating oil properties. The results from these oil analysis techniques are the basis of determining the effect of EGR on engine wear and lubricating oil degradation, rather than an actual engine tear down between engine tests.