NSF Award
0421210
Proposal No. CTS-0421210<br/>Principal Investigator: G. W. Davis, Kettering University<br/><br/>This grant is for acquisition of equipment to measure particulate matter emissions in engine exhaust. Particulate matter (PM) exhaust emissions from engines used in transportation cause adverse health affects to humans and animals. Historically, PM emissions were measured using a gravimetric approach in which a diluted exhaust sample is drawn through a filter where the particulate matter is trapped and weighed. However, as engines produce less PM, it has become increasingly difficult to accurately measure the mass of PM emissions produced using the traditional gravimetric approach. Furthermore, the components of PM, particularly the levels of soluble organic fraction (SOF), cause increased levels of tissue irritation in animals. The composition of the PM also affects the design of exhaust after-treatment systems used to trap or convert this material before it is exhausted. The traditional gravimetric approach does not provide any information regarding the composition of the PM sample. Recently developed instrumentation now allows accurate measurement of ultra low mass emissions levels and the determination of the major components of the sample. The equipment to be acquired consists primarily of a partial flow dilution tunnel and a low mass PM analyzer with separate measurement of soot, SOF and sulfates. The acquisition of this instrumentation will allow the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory (AERL) to conduct research into the effects of alternative fuels and after treatment systems in the reduction of engine emissions. Anticipated research projects include determining the effects of the use of biomass based fuel in jet engines, measuring the reduction in emissions from two- and four-stroke snowmobile engines when using biomass derived fuels and lubricants, and the effect of different fuels and operating conditions on the composition of PM exhaust emissions from both spark-ignited (gasoline) and diesel engines. This system will have a major impact on the research training of engineers employed in the automotive industry. Kettering University, formerly General Motors Institute, is a recognized leader in transportation research and education. It is a non-Ph.D. granting institution, and over the past five years is generally within the top five grantors of BSME degrees in the U.S. The AERL actively engages undergraduates in transportation research. Many technical presentations and publications have been co-authored by undergraduates during the past four years. All mechanical engineering undergraduates conduct experiments in this laboratory. Finally, the AERL will use this system as part of an ongoing effort to recruit under-represented groups into engineering, by encouraging them to participate in hands-on experiments in the AERL.
