Influence of the diesel fuel sulphur content on the nanoparticle emissions from a fleet of city buses

Ristovski, Zoran and Jayaratne, Rohan and Lim, McKenzie C. and Ayoko, Godwin A. and Morawska, Lidia (2005) Influence of the diesel fuel sulphur content on the nanoparticle emissions from a fleet of city buses. ( Unpublished )

Full text available as:

PDF
263Kb

Abstract

Particle emissions from twelve buses, aged 1 to 19 years, operating alternatively on low sulphur (LS; 500 ppm) and ultra-low sulphur (ULS; 50 ppm) diesel fuel were monitored at four steady-state operating modes on a chassis dynamometer. The mean particle number emission rate using ULS diesel was lower than the rate using LS diesel in each of the four modes. The fractional reduction was highest in the newest buses and decreased with mileage up to about 500,000 km, at which stage a bus was about 8 years old. No further decrease was apparent as the mileage increased thereafter. However, the mean total suspended particle (TSP) mass emission rate did not show a systematic difference between the two fuel types. When the fuel was changed from LS to ULS diesel, the reduction in particle number was mainly in the nanoparticle size range, with occurrences of the nuclei mode being significantly restricted. Overall, 58% of the particles were smaller than 50 nm with LS fuel as opposed to just 45% with ULS fuel, suggesting that sulphur in diesel fuel was playing a major role in the formation of nanoparticles. The greatest influence of the fuel sulphur level was observed at the highest engine load, where 74% of the particles were smaller than 50 nm with LS diesel compared to 43% with ULS diesel.

ID Code:	1120
Item Type:	Journal Article
Keywords :	Diesel, sulphur, nanoparticle, vehicle emission
Subjects:	Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EARTH SCIENCES (040000) > ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES (040100) > Atmospheric Sciences not elsewhere classified (040199)
Divisions:	QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Science
Copyright Owner :	Copyright 2005 (The authors)
Deposited On:	22 Apr 2005
Last Modified:	03 Dec 2008 12:23

Export: EndNote | Dublin Core

Repository Staff Only: item control page