Influence of Biodiesel/Diesel Blends on Particulate Emissions in a Turbocharged Common Rail Diesel Engine

Experiments were conducted in a turbocharged, high-pressure common rail diesel engine to investigate particulate emissions from the engine fueled with biodiesel and diesel blends. An electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) was employed to measure the particle size distribution and number concentration. Heated dilution was used to suppress nuclei mode particles and focus on accumulation mode particles. The experiment was carried out at five engine loads and two engine speeds. Biodiesel fractions of 10%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% in volume were tested. The study shows that most of the particles are distributed with their diameters between 0.02 and 0.2 μm, and the number concentration becomes quite small for the particles with the diameters larger than 0.2 μm. With the increase of biodiesel fraction, engine speed and/or engine load, particle number concentration decreases significantly, while the particle size distribution varies little. The analysis on heat release rate, excess air ratio and exhaust gas temperature were provided to help interpret the particulate emissions. The study indicates that particle number concentration and mass concentration are reduced simultaneously when the engine is fueled with biodiesel/diesel blends.