Size Distributions of Motor Vehicle Exhaust PM: A Comparison Between ELPI and SMPS Measurements

Particle size measurements using the electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI) and scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) are compared from the perspective of characterizing the particulate matter in motor vehicle exhaust. Both steady state vehicle operation and transient drive cycles are considered, and both gasoline and diesel fueled vehicle emissions are compared. Although the ELPI and SMPS measure different physical properties, respectively, the aerodynamic diameter and mobility diameter, the steady state particle size distributions are in close agreement, except for the 37 nm impactor stage of the ELPI which may overestimate particle number by up to a factor of two relative to the SMPS. This has little effect on the volume, or mass, weighted distribution. These, too, are generally in good agreement, though discrepancies appear at large particle size due to multiple charging effects in the SMPS and to electrometer offsets and the small particle loss correction in the ELPI. Selecting particles based on their electrical mobility with the SMPS, and then measuring their aerodynamic diameter with the ELPI, reveals that diesel particulate matter with well-specified mobility diameter exhibits a wide range in aerodynamic diameter and, therefore, also in effective density. Over transient drive cycles, the ELPI provides second by second particle distributions, whereas the SMPS must be run in a fixed particle size mode and size distributions constructed from repeated tests. The ELPI registers higher instantaneous PM emission rates during transients than the SMPS due to the faster time responses of the ELPI. The time integrated ELPI and SMPS size distributions, however, remain in good agreement. The relative merits of the two instruments for steady state and transient tests are discussed.