TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-reactive Working Fluids for Reliably Sensing Nanoparticles in Automotive Exhaust Gases
AU - Kraft, M.
AU - Reinisch, T.
AU - Bergmann, A.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Nanoparticles in the exhausts of automotive internal combustion engines are routinely measured using condensation nuclei counting (CNC) sensors. Traditionally, n-butanol is used as working fluid for sensing combustion aerosols. However, when used on combustion engines burning modern, (partly) biogenic fuels, strong system drifts and reduced saturator lifetimes occur. This effect could be traced to non-volatile reaction products of acidic exhaust components with the alcoholic working fluid that poison the sensor, creating an immediate need for alternatives. Following fundamental theoretical considerations of the CNC principles, n-alkanes were identified as a new, advantageous class of working fluids. The materials have favourable thermal and diffusion properties, are chemically inert and condense efficiently on the carbonaceous nanoparticles of combustion aerosols and can be used with standard CNCs under standard conditions. Subsequent tests with linear alkanes in the C9 - C14 range proved their practical applicability as well as the validity of the underlying models.
AB - Nanoparticles in the exhausts of automotive internal combustion engines are routinely measured using condensation nuclei counting (CNC) sensors. Traditionally, n-butanol is used as working fluid for sensing combustion aerosols. However, when used on combustion engines burning modern, (partly) biogenic fuels, strong system drifts and reduced saturator lifetimes occur. This effect could be traced to non-volatile reaction products of acidic exhaust components with the alcoholic working fluid that poison the sensor, creating an immediate need for alternatives. Following fundamental theoretical considerations of the CNC principles, n-alkanes were identified as a new, advantageous class of working fluids. The materials have favourable thermal and diffusion properties, are chemically inert and condense efficiently on the carbonaceous nanoparticles of combustion aerosols and can be used with standard CNCs under standard conditions. Subsequent tests with linear alkanes in the C9 - C14 range proved their practical applicability as well as the validity of the underlying models.
KW - automotive exhaust analysis
KW - condensation nucleus counter
KW - nanoparticle sensor
KW - system stability
KW - working fluid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009976270&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.143
DO - 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.143
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85009976270
SN - 1877-7058
VL - 168
SP - 51
EP - 54
JO - Procedia Engineering
JF - Procedia Engineering
ER -