Particle Number Reduction in Automotive Exhausts by Controlled Grouping

Particulate emissions from internal combustion engines is a well-known issue with direct implications on air quality and human health. Recently there is an increased concern about the high number of ultrafine particles emitted from modern engines. Here we explore a concept for grouping these particles, reducing their total number and shifting the relative size distribution towards fewer larger particles. Particles having a non-zero relaxation time may be manipulated to yield regions of high particle concentration, accommodating agglomeration, when introduced into an oscillating flow field. The oscillating flow field is given by simple periodic geometrical changes of the exhaust pipe itself. It is discussed how the shape of these geometrical changes and also the engine pulses effect the grouping behavior for different size particles, including when Brownian motion becomes relevant. Simulations are performed using a bespoke 1D-model sufficient for the basic parameter studies of the concept given here.