Grantee Research Project Results

Markers for Emissions from Combustion Sources

EPA Grant Number: R824970C009
Subproject: this is subproject number 009 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R824970
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: HSRC (1989) - Northeast HSRC
Center Director: Sidhu, Sukh S.
Title: Markers for Emissions from Combustion Sources
Investigators: Sarofim, Adel F. , VanderSande, J. B.
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: January 1, 1992 through June 30, 1997
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Center on Airborne Organics (1993) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Targeted Research

Objective:

Soot particles generated and emitted by combustion processes have a microstructure and trace element composition which can be observed with high resolution electron microscopes. Since the microstructure and chemical composition are functions of fuel type, they can be useful markers of the origin of soots. The goal in this project is to develop methods for quantifying the soot structure and elemental composition in order to determine their potential use as signatures for the source of particulate carbon in ambient air.

Approach:

Work involves: (i) development of methods for obtaining quantitative measures of the soot structure and composition, (ii) determination of the relation of soot microstructure and composition to combustion conditions and fuel type through the use of well defined experiments, and (iii) development of a library of soot structures for use in emissions source attribution studies.

Rationale:

Combustors are a major source of airborne organics which contribute, directly or indirectly, to health hazards and to visibility degradation. Fuel formation and combustor design are expected to be steadily changing, and therefore it is important to have reliable means for identifying the true sources of the organic contaminants in ambient air so that effective corrective engineering and policy strategies can be formulated and implemented in a timely manner. To this end, the objective of the research is to identify, for combustion sources, chemical and structural characteristics of soots that are sufficiently unique and stable to be reliable signatures for the fuels and combustors responsible for their emission.

Supplemental Keywords:

emission, combustion, air, soot., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Waste, particulate matter, Physics, Environmental Chemistry, Atmospheric Sciences, Incineration/Combustion, combustion byproducts, particulates, electron microscope, carbon, markers, emissions measurement, combustion emissions, carbon particles, emissions, combustion, alternative motor fuels, combustion contaminants, soot profiles, source attribution studies, aerosols, atmospheric chemistry

Progress and Final Reports:

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R824970 HSRC (1989) - Northeast HSRC

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R824970C001 Chemical Kinetic Modeling of Formation of Products of Incomplete Combustion from Spark-ignition Engines
R824970C002 Combustion Chamber Deposit Effects on Engine Hydrocarbon Emissions
R824970C003 Atmospheric Transformation of Volatile Organic Compounds: Gas-Phase Photooxidation and Gas-to-Particle Conversion
R824970C004 Mathematical Models of the Transport and Fate of Airborne Organics
R824970C005 Elementary Reaction Mechanism and Pathways for Atmospheric Reactions of Aromatics - Benzene and Toluene
R824970C006 Simultaneous Removal of Soot and NOx from the Exhaust of Diesel Powered Vehicles
R824970C007 Modeling Gas-Phase Chemistry and Heterogeneous Reaction of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds
R824970C008 Fundamental Study on High Temperature Chemistry of Oxygenated Hydrocarbons as Alternate Motor Fuels and Additives
R824970C009 Markers for Emissions from Combustion Sources
R824970C010 Experimental Investigation of the Evolution of the Size and Composition Distribution of Atmospheric Organic Aerosols
R824970C011 Microengineered Mass Spectrometer for in-situ Measurement of Airborne Contaminants

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