Dilution and aerosol dynamics within a diesel car exhaust plume—CFD simulations of on-road measurement conditions

Abstract Vehicle particle emissions are studied extensively because of their health effects, contribution to ambient PM levels and possible impact on climate. The aim of this work was to obtain a better understanding of secondary particle formation and growth in a diluting vehicle exhaust plume using 3-d information of simulations together with measurements. Detailed coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and aerosol dynamics simulations have been conducted for H 2 SO 4 –H 2 O and soot particles based on measurements within a vehicle exhaust plume under real conditions on public roads. Turbulent diffusion of soot and nucleation particles is responsible for the measured decrease of number concentrations within the diesel car exhaust plume and decreases coagulation rates. Particle size distribution measurements at 0.45 and 0.9 m distance to the tailpipe indicate a consistent soot mode (particle diameter D p ∼50 nm) at variable operating conditions. Soot mode number concentrations reached up to 10 13  m −3 depending on operating conditions and mixing. For nucleation particles the simulations showed a strong sensitivity to the spatial dilution pattern, related cooling and exhaust H 2 SO 4(g) . The highest simulated nucleation rates were about 0.05–0.1 m from the axis of the plume. The simulated particle number concentration pattern is in approximate accordance with measured concentrations, along the jet centreline and 0.45 and 0.9 m from the tailpipe. Although the test car was run with ultralow sulphur fuel, high nucleation particle ( D p ⩽15 nm) concentrations (>10 13  m −3 ) were measured under driving conditions of strong acceleration or the combination of high vehicle speed (>140 km h −1 ) and high engine rotational speed (>3800 revolutions per minute (rpm)). Strong mixing and cooling caused rapid nucleation immediately behind the tailpipe, so that the highest particle number concentrations were recorded at a distance, x =0.45 m behind the tailpipe. The simulated growth of H 2 SO 4 –H 2 O nucleation particles was unrealistically low compared with measurements. The possible role of low and semi-volatile organic components on the growth processes is discussed. Simulations for simplified H 2 SO 4 –H 2 O–octane–gasoil aerosol resulted in sufficient growth of nucleation particles.