Diffusion charging measurements on exhaust solid particle number and lung deposited surface area of compressed natural gas and diesel buses

Eisazadeh, Hessam; Ehteram, Mohammad Ali; Khazaee, Iman

doi:10.1007/s11356-020-08266-6

Research Article
Published: 06 March 2020

Diffusion charging measurements on exhaust solid particle number and lung deposited surface area of compressed natural gas and diesel buses

Hessam Eisazadeh¹,
Mohammad Ali Ehteram¹ &
Iman Khazaee¹

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 27, pages 16929–16939 (2020)Cite this article

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5 Citations
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Abstract

Because of their direct contact with society, urban buses are prioritized targets for air quality improvement. In this study, a sample group of in-use urban old buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel engines was chosen for particle emission analysis. The CNG buses do not have any type of after-treatment, while diesel ones are equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). To measure the lung deposited surface area (LDSA), a possible physical metric of exhaust particles’ toxicity, a diffusion charger-based analyzer was utilized. The measurements were done at different engine speeds in stationary conditions. The results revealed that although the particle mass emission of CNG buses remains at a low level, the number of emitted particles for 75% of the CNG buses (depending on their maintenance conditions) is 10 to 100 times more than the retrofitted diesel ones, with the range of 10⁶ to 10⁷ p/cm³. The rest 25% of the CNG buses were performing the same as the retrofitted diesel ones in terms of exhaust particle number in the range of 10⁵ p/cm³. In addition, the lowest LDSA parameter at low idle engine speed was measured to be 97.8 and 229.4 μm²/cm³ for a CNG and a DPF retrofitted diesel bus, respectively. This result indicates the same and even lower LDSA and surface area and thus the lower possible toxic potentiality of exhaust particles of CNG buses compared to diesel vehicles at DPF downstream. Investigation on the different behavior of the CNG buses in the emission of particles showed the correlation of some aging parameters such as lubricant oil aging mileage with the released particles and the importance of periodic maintenance interval.

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Abbreviations

CNG:: compressed natural gas
DPF:: diesel particulate filter
FAS:: free acceleration smoke
GMD:: geometric mean diameter
LDSA:: lung deposited surface area
NEDC:: new European driving cycle
PEMS:: portable emissions measurement systems
PM:: particulate matter
PN:: particle number
PTI:: periodic technical inspection
PI:: positive ignition
SI:: spark ignition
SPN:: solid particle number
UFP:: ultrafine particles

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Acknowledgements

This investigation was performed within the cooperation of the Tehran Air Quality Control Company (AQCC) that they have provided the instrumentations. The authors would like to thank the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) for funding this project, through a grant # 98012065.

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Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Hessam Eisazadeh, Mohammad Ali Ehteram & Iman Khazaee

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Hessam Eisazadeh
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Mohammad Ali Ehteram
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Iman Khazaee
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Correspondence to Mohammad Ali Ehteram.

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Highlights

• Particulate emission measurement of CNG and DPF-equipped diesel buses

• Measurement of the LDSA parameter, a physical metric of exhaust particles toxicity

• Engine aging effects on the particulate emission of CNG buses

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Eisazadeh, H., Ehteram, M.A. & Khazaee, I. Diffusion charging measurements on exhaust solid particle number and lung deposited surface area of compressed natural gas and diesel buses. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 16929–16939 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08266-6

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Received: 11 June 2019
Accepted: 27 February 2020
Published: 06 March 2020
Issue Date: May 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08266-6

Keywords

Particle number (PN)
Diffusion charging
Compressed natural gas (CNG)
Lung deposited surface area (LDSA)
Particulate matter