The In-Plume Emission Test Stand: An Instrument Platform for the Real-Time Characterization of Fuel-Based Combustion Emissions

Abstract The In-Plume Emission Test Stand (IPETS) characterizes gaseous and particulate matter (PM) emissions from combustion sources in real time. Carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and other gases are quantified with a closed-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). Particle concentrations, chemical composition, and other particle properties are characterized with an electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI), a light-scattering particle detector, an optical particle counter, and filter samples amenable to different laboratory analysis. IPETS measurements of fuel-based emission factors for a diesel generator are compared with those from a Mobile Emissions Laboratory (MEL). IPETS emission factors ranged from 0.3 to 11.8, 0.2 to 3.7, and 22.2 to 32.8 g/kg fuel for CO, NO2, and NO, respectively. IPETS PM emission factors ranged from 0.4 to 1.4, 0.3 to 1.8, 0.3 to 2.2, and 1 to 3.4 g/kg fuel for filter, photoacoustic, nephelometer, and impactor measurements, respectively. Observed linear regression statistics for IPETS versus MEL concentrations were as follows: CO slope = 1.1, r2 = 0.99; NO slope = 1.1, r2 = 0.92; and NO2 slope = 0.8, r2 = 0.96. IPETS versus MEL PM regression statistics were: filter slope = 1.3, r2 = 0.80; ELPI slope = 1.7, r2 = 0.87; light-scattering slope = 2.7, r2 = 0.92; and photoacoustic slope = 2.1, r2 = 0.91. Lower temperatures in the dilution air (~25 °C for IPETS vs. ~50 °C for MEL) may result in greater condensation of semi-volatile compounds on existing particles, thereby explaining the 30% difference for filters. The other PM measurement devices are highly correlated with the filter, but their factory-default PM calibration factors do not represent the size and optical properties of diesel exhaust. They must be normalized to a simultaneous filter measurement.