Investigations of Soot Nanostructure and Reactivity

Andre  Boehman, Penn State University

Stemming from initial observations of enhanced DPF regeneration rates when using alternative fuels such as biodiesel, our group began to study the impacts of fuel and combustion conditions on the oxidative reactivity of diesel soot. To date, we have considered fuel impacts, cylinder charge impacts (e.g., EGR, oxygen enrichment) and combustion system impacts. This presentation provides a survey of the range of variation observed in soot nanostructure and reactivity stemming from fuel and combustion conditions, and provides a progress summary on our efforts to build a knowledge base of structure-property relationships linking soot reactivity to fuel composition and engine operating conditions.