Effect of temperature tuning on the aerosol acoustic aggregation process

Abstract

Diesel exhaust aerosols (DEAs) can absorb and accumulate toxic metal particulates and bacteria suspended in the atmospheric environment, which impact human health and the environment. The use of acoustic standing waves (ASWs) to aggregate DEA is currently considered to be an efficient particle removal method; however, study of the effect of different temperatures on the acoustic aggregation process is scarce. To explore the method and technology to regulate and optimize the aerosol aggregation process through temperature tuning, an acoustic apparatus integrated with a temperature regulation function was constructed. Using this apparatus, the effect of different characteristic temperatures (CTs) on the aerosol aggregation process was investigated experimentally in the ASW environment. Under constant conditions of acoustic frequency 1.286kHz, voltage amplitude 17V and input electric power 16.7W, the study concentrated on temperature effects on the aggregation process in the CT range of 58–72°C. The DEA opacity was used. The results demonstrate that the aggregation process is quite sensitive to the CT, and that the optimal DEA aggregation can be achieved at 66°C. The aggregated particles of 68.17μm are composed of small nanoparticles of 13.34–62.15nm. At CTs higher and lower than 66°C, the apparatus in non-resonance mode reduces the DEA aggregation level. For other instruments, the method for obtaining the optimum temperature for acoustic agglomeration is universal. This preliminary demonstration shows that the use of acoustic technology to regulate the aerosol aggregation process through tuning the operating temperature is feasible and convenient.