Abstract
As part of a collaborative study with the U.S. Bureau of Mines, inmine studies have been conducted to assess the effects of a low temperature disposable diesel exhaust filter. The mines have been designated as mines R and S in U.S. Bureau of Mines publications. Each mine operated three to four Jeffrey 4110 ramcar haulage vehicles in the test section. The ramcars were equipped with MWM D916-6 diesel engines, rated at 74.6 kW (100 hp), and were operated for 3 days with the disposable diesel exhaust filter and 2 days without in both mines. Average diesel particulate matter control efficiencies, as measured by samplers located on the coal haulage vehicle, were 80 percent in mine R and 76 percent in mine S. Diesel particulate matter average control efficiencies, as measured in the diesel engine tailpipe, were 52 percent for mine R (for two ramcar vehicles) and 86 percent for mine S (for four ramcar vehicles). The air quality index control efficiencies, as measured by samplers located on the coal haulage vehicle, were 48 percent in mine R and 51 percent in mine S. The exhaust quality index control efficiencies from tailpipe measurements were 45 percent for mine R and 63 percent for mine S. As measured by a high volume sampler in mine S, diesel particulate matter and associated organics and mutagenic activity were reduced approximately 50 percent with the use of the disposable diesel exhaust filter. Similar results were found with modified personal samplers in mine R. Little effect was found on relative removal of semivolatile organics. The disposable diesel exhaust filter resulted in about a 50 percent reduction in the most volatile polynuclear hydrocarbons; however, there appeared to be little effect on the less volatile polynuclear hydrocarbons. The disposable diesel exhaust filter appears to be very effective in reducing the levels of all the diesel exhaust particulate components, while having minor effects on the relative breakdown of the individual components of the particulate.