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This work compared the surface functional group (SFG) types and concentrations and sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratios of in-cylinder soot samples generated by a heavy-duty diesel engine when employing n -heptane and a toluene/ n -heptane mixture (20% toluene by volume) as the fuels. In-cylinder soot samples were obtained from a total cylinder sampling system, and the SFGs and sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratios were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Despite the differences in fuel formulation, both n -heptane and n -heptane/toluene soot exhibited similar trends in terms of changes in the SFGs concentrations and sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratios during the combustion process. However, the addition of toluene to the n -heptane was found to increase the concentrations of all SFGs as well as the sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratio. The C OH and C O group concentrations exhibited a bimodal distribution for both the n -heptane and n -heptane/toluene soot throughout the combustion process, with the concentrations peaking in the premixed and diffusion combustion phases, respectively. In contrast, the relative amounts of aliphatic C H groups decreased in the premixed combustion phase, increased in the early diffusion combustion phase, and then decreased in the subsequent combustion phase. The sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratios obtained from both fuel soot were observed to initially decrease, then to increase before a decrease during the combustion process. There was a definite correlation between the sp 3 /sp 2 hybridization ratio and the relative concentration of aliphatic C H groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studied the evolution of in-cylinder polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a diesel engine fueled with n -heptane, and explored the effects of adding toluene to n -heptane on in-cylinder PAHs. In-cylinder PAHs were sampled in a direct injection diesel engine using a total cylinder sampling system. PAHs were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with programmed temperature vaporization in the solvent vent mode. For n -heptane, the mass of total in-cylinder PAHs ( Σ M PAHs ) increased in premixed and late diffusion combustion phases, and decreased in early diffusion and late combustion phases. Among the 16 PAHs detected, Naphthalene (Nap) was the most abundant. PAHs with two benzene rings and one five-membered ring, such as Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene and Fluorene, were also plentiful, implying that PAHs with five-membered ring could play an important role in the growth of in-cylinder PAHs. When adding 20 vol.% toluene to n -heptane, the evolution of ΣM PAHs was varied. The Σ M PAHs for n -heptane/toluene increased in premixed and early diffusion combustion phases, and decreased in late diffusion and late combustion phases. Toluene addition reduced the ΣM PAHs in the premixed combustion phase by up to 48% but increased ΣM PAHs by 30% in the early diffusion combustion phase. In the subsequent combustion phase, the ΣM PAHs was reduced by approximately 67%. For in-cylinder individual PAHs, toluene addition generally reduced the percentages of Nap in ΣM PAHs during the engine combustion process but increased the percentages of larger PAHs, indicating that toluene addition was conducive to the growth of PAHs to form larger PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oxygenated functional groups of soot particles increased with increasing OME 3 doping. • An increase in OME 3 blending enhanced soot aliphatic and aromatic C − H groups. • Blending OME 3 altered the spatial distribution of carbon-hybridised orbitals. • Incorporating OME 3 led to higher levels of O and H within the soot particles. Oxymethylene ether-3 (OME 3) is a promising synthetic e-fuel and alternative fuel for diesel engines. In contrast to diesel fuel, the use of OME 3 leads to a distinct combustion process in which soot particles are generated, which leads to changes in the chemical properties of these particles. These chemical properties are intricately connected to both the concentration and availability of potential radical sites, which, in turn, exert a substantial influence on soot oxidation during diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the chemical features of soot samples. Nevertheless, a thorough investigation into the chemical features of n -heptane/OME 3 soot samples has not been fully understood. Here, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analyser, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to examine the impact of blending OME 3 on chemical features of soot particles at various flame heights of an inverse n -heptane-OME 3 flame. XPS results from C1s and O1s peaks showed that OME 3 incorporation enhanced the concentrations of C = O, C–O, and O = C–O groups, especially C = O groups, with the percentage increase ranging from 11.93 % to 49.74 %. Similarly, the content of aliphatic C − H groups, along with O and H, increased with higher levels of OME 3 blending. Moreover, it was discovered that blending OME 3 altered the spatial distribution of hybridisation orbitals of carbon atoms, leading to a decrease in the sp2/sp3 ratio by as much as 40 % with the increase in the OME 3 blending ratio. The alteration in these chemical properties due to the addition of OME 3 enhanced the oxidative reactivity of soot particles, as manifested by up to a 15 % reduction in the measured activation energy. These findings are useful to optimise control strategies of DPF regeneration with the more widespread use of e-fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an investigation of the carbonyl emissions from a direct injection heavy-duty diesel engine fueled with pure diesel fuel (DF) and blended fuel containing 15% by volume of ethanol (E/DF). The tests have been conducted under steady-state operating conditions at 1200, 1800, 2600rpm and idle speed. The experimental results show that acetaldehyde is the most predominant carbonyl, followed by formaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, propionaldehyde and crotonaldehyde, produced from both fuels. The emission factors of total carbonyls vary in the range 13.8–295.9mg(kWh)−1 for DF and 17.8–380.2mg(kWh)−1 for E/DF, respectively. The introduction of ethanol into diesel fuel results in a decrease in acrolein emissions, while the other carbonyls show general increases: at low engine speed (1200rpm), 0–55% for formaldehyde, 4–44% for acetaldehyde, 38–224% for acetone, and 5–52% for crotonaldehyde; at medium engine speed (1800rpm), 106–413% for formaldehyde, 4–143% for acetaldehyde, 74–113% for acetone, 114–1216% for propionaldehyde, and 15–163% for crotonaldehyde; at high engine speed (2600rpm), 36–431% for formaldehyde, 18–61% for acetaldehyde, 22–241% for acetone, and 6–61% for propionaldehyde. A gradual reduction in the brake specific emissions of each carbonyl compound from both fuels is observed with increase in engine load. Among three levels of engine speed employed, both DF and E/DF emit most CBC emissions at high engine speed. On the whole, the presence of ethanol in diesel fuel leads to an increase in aldehyde emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

La 1− x Ce x Mn 1− y Co y O 3 catalysts were prepared by the “glucose method”. The structures and physico-chemical properties for these catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), H 2 -temperature-programmed reduction (H 2 -TPR) and O 2 -tempreature-programmed desorption (O 2 -TPD). Results showed that cerium substitution at the A-site in LaMnO 3 produced a CeO 2 phase. The cobalt can be introduced into the B-site in La 0.8 Ce 0.2 MnO 3 at any substitution ratio because of the similar ionic radii between cobalt and manganese. The catalytic activity for soot combustion in air was evaluated using a TG/DTA analyzer. Cerium substitution at A-site enhances the catalytic activity, while cobalt substitution at B-site inhibits the catalytic activity. The activation energy for soot combustion was calculated using the Horowitz method. The activation energy for non-catalytic soot combustion was 164.1 kJ mol − 1 . The addition of catalysts decreased the activation energy by about 26–63 kJ mol − 1 . Among the applied catalysts, Ce20Mn exhibited the lowest activation energy (101.1 kJ mol − 1 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The presence of nano-CeO 2 in methanol increased peak HRRmax and Pmax. • Nano-CeO 2 additives promoted a shorter ignition delay and combustion duration. • Nano-CeO 2 additives in methanol increased BTE and lessened BSFC and EGT. • Nano-CeO 2 inclusion in methanol can suppress CO, HC, NO X and smoke emissions. This paper signifies the effects of cerium oxide (CeO 2) nanoparticles on the combustion, performance and emissions characteristics of a dual fuel diesel engine under different loads. The stable methanol-based nanofluids with the dispersion of 25 ppm and 100 ppm of CeO 2 nanoparticles fuels (MCN25 and MCN100) were prepared by ultrasound and surfactant. The tests were conducted on a dual fuel diesel engine under three modes: diesel mode, by injecting diesel alone into the cylinder; methanol mode, with methanol intake manifold injection and diesel direct injection; and MCN mode, with MCN fuels intake manifold injection and diesel direct injection. The results show that the peak heat release rate and the peak cylinder gas pressure in MCN mode are increased by 7.9% and 4.3% compared to those of diesel mode. Compared to methanol mode, the engine operated in MCN mode effectively reduces brake specific energy consumption by a maximum of 8.1% and increases brake thermal efficiency by up to 10.8%. Further, the increased HC and CO emissions in methanol mode (compared to diesel mode) are suppressed effectively when adding CeO 2 nanoparticles in methanol, with the maximum reductions of 56.3% and 79.8% in HC and CO emission for the dosage of 100 ppm, respectively. Compared with diesel mode, the engine operated in methanol mode can decrease the NO X emission and smoke opacity, while more significant reductions can be observed with the addition of CeO 2 nanoparticles in methanol, with the maximum decreasing results of 70.9% and 90.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]