Effect of biodiesel on particulate numbers and composition emitted from turbocharged diesel engine

In present study a turbocharged, medium duty compression ignition engine was alternatively fuelled with biodiesel to investigate the changes in particulate matter composition, relative to that taken with diesel fuel. The engine was operated on an AC electrical dynamometer in accordance with an 8-mode, steady-state cycle. The numbers of particles were estimated through electrical low pressure impactor, while sulfates and trace metals were analyzed by ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, respectively. Nitric oxides and nitrogen dioxides were measured separately using SEMTECH-DS. Experimental results revealed that, on account of elevated ratios of nitrogen dioxide to nitrogen oxides, mean accumulation mode particles were 42 % lower with biodiesel. On the other hand, nuclei mode particles were higher with biodiesel, owing to heterogeneous nucleation and accounting for an increase in sulfate emissions up to 8 % with biodiesel as compared to diesel. On the average, trace metal emissions were significantly reduced showing 65–85.4 % reduction rates with biodiesel, relative to its counterpart. Further to this, individual congeners such as iron, calcium, and sodium were the predominant elements of the trace metals emitted from engine. The mean relative decrease in iron and calcium was 89–97.8 and 77.6–87 %, respectively, while the relative rise in sodium was in the range of 29–46 % with biodiesel. Further, elements such as zinc, chromium, and aluminum showed substantial abatement, whereas potassium, magnesium, and manganese exhibited irregular trends on account of variable engine loads and speeds during the various modes of cycle.