The Impact of Ethanol Fuel Blends on PM Emissions from a Light-Duty GDI Vehicle

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Fuel properties

Characteristic	E0	E10 cert	E10 pump	E100
Ethanol (%vol)	0	10.1	9.0	97.3
10% recovery dist. T (°C)	56.7	54.8	48.5
50% recovery dist. T (°C)	105.6	98.4	69.8
90% recovery dist. T (°C)	155.8	158.8	165.5
Density (g/mL)	0.744	0.754	0.734	0.795
Vapor pres. ASTM (kPa)	55.2	54.5	70.6	21.0
Net heating value (MJ/kg)	43.34	41.5		26.73
Research octane	97.3	94.4	91.8
Carbon weight%	86.41	82.90		52.16
Hydrogen weight%	13.59	13.41		13.08
Oxygen weight%	<0.05	3.69		34.76
Sulfur (ppm)	19	5	58.8	3
Aromatics (%vol)	28.5	24.1	16.9

FIG. 1 Schematic diagram of the experimental setup. Solid arrows show exhaust and diluent flows. Dashed arrow indicates diluted exhaust flow. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 2 Transient particle number emissions from the GDI test vehicle for the cold and hot start phases of the FTP drive cycle. Data are recorded by direct tailpipe sampling. Top panel: E0 fuel. Bottom panel: E45 fuel. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 3 GDI vehicle exhaust particle number and mass emissions versus ethanol content of fuel. Emissions are measured over the three-phase FTP drive cycle using calibration A. Symbols = mass. Lines = particle number. E0 data recorded at the beginning and end of the study are distinguished by plotting them slightly below and above 0% ethanol, respectively. Error bars are 1σ of the test repeatability. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 4 FTP engine-out (feedgas) total hydrocarbon and NO_x emissions versus fuel ethanol content for calibration A. Initial and final E0 tests are distinguished as in Figure 3. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 5 Geometric mean mobility diameter of GDI particle emissions versus fuel ethanol. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 6 Elemental carbon/organic carbon PM emissions versus fuel ethanol. (Color figure available online).

FIG. 7 Particle number to PM mass ratio versus fuel ethanol. (Color figure available online).