Chemical Analysis of Diesel Exhaust Odor Species

Sensory studies have described diesel exhaust odor in terms of two major odor character groups-oily-kerosene and smoky-burnt. The odorous compounds have been identified in a detailed analytical chemistry-odor study. The oily-kerosene odor group is associated with the aromatic portion of the unburned fuel-principally, the alkyl substituted benzenes, indans, and tetralins. The smoky-burnt odors arise from partial combustion products of the paraffin and aromatic fuel components.

Our studies have shown a good correlation between exhaust odor intensity and abundance of the partial combustion products. An analytical method has been developed, based on liquid chromatography, for the quantitative expression of exhaust odor intensity by measurement of the smoky-burnt odor group. Initial survey studies show the method to be applicable over a wide odor emission range. Fuel variation has little effect, whereas injector variables do influence odor intensity.