Characterization of Combustion Aerosol Produced by a Mini-CAST and Treated in a Catalytic Stripper

We characterized the properties of combustion aerosol produced at different operating conditions of a mini-CAST burner that was treated in a Catalytic Stripper (CS) operating at 300°C. The goal was to establish a methodology for the production of soot particles resembling those emitted from internal combustion engines. Thermo-optical analysis of samples collected on Quartz filters revealed that the particles contained semi-volatile material that survived the CS. The amount of semi-volatile species strongly depended on the operating conditions ranging from less than 10% to as high as 30% of the particle mass. The mini-CAST operating conditions were also found to have a strong effect on the effective particle density (ρ_e ). The ρ_e , for example, ranged from as low as 0.3 to 1.05 g/cm³ for mondisperse 80 nm particles, although the mass-mobility exponent remained relatively constant (2.1–2.25). These differences are indicative of differences in the primary particle diameter, which was estimated to range between 8.5 and 34 nm depending on the operating conditions. The different types of particles produced were also found to exhibit different affinities for butanol but also different light absorption per mass of elemental carbon which can, therefore, lead to inconsistencies in aerosol instrumentation calibrations (e.g., condensation and optical particle counters, photoacoustic sensors). The work highlights the importance of establishing a detailed and well-defined method in using the mini-CAST-CS approach for instrument calibration in ways mimicking various engine combustion sources.

Copyright 2013 American Association for Aerosol Research