Fuel Sulfur Effect on Nano-PM Formation from Diffusion Flame

Recently, for reduction of PM emission from diesel engine, low sulfur diesel fuel was introduced and commercialized. There are some reports for effect of fuel sulfur on PM characteristics by using engine dynamometer tests. However, it is difficult to understand mechanism of PM formation and effect of fuel sulfur on PM formation process. Thus, investigation by a simple flame is effective way for understanding detail PM formation process. In this paper, effect of sulfur content in fuel on PM characteristics was investigated by using laboratory-scale PM generator. Test fuels were diesel and surrogate diesel fuel, and sulfur concentration in the surrogate fuel was controlled with thiophene addition. Effects of fuel sulfur on PM were clarified with characteristics of PM obtained from PM number distribution measurements and PM compositions analysis.