Effective Density Of Particles Research Articles

Boundary current fluctuations for the half‐space ASEP and six‐vertex model

AbstractWe study fluctuations of the current at the boundary for the half‐space asymmetric simple exclusion process (ASEP) and the height function of the half‐space six‐vertex model at the boundary at large times. We establish a phase transition depending on the effective density of particles at the boundary, with Gaussian symplectic ensemble (GSE) and Gaussian orthogonal ensemble (GOE) limits as well as the Baik–Rains crossover distribution near the critical point. This was previously known for half‐space last‐passage percolation, and recently established for the half‐space log‐gamma polymer and Kardar–Parisi–Zhang equation in the groundbreaking work of Imamura, Mucciconi, and Sasamoto. The proof uses the underlying algebraic structure of these models in a crucial way to obtain exact formulas. In particular, we show a relationship between the half‐space six‐vertex model and a half‐space Hall–Littlewood measure with two boundary parameters, which is then matched to a free boundary Schur process via a new identity of symmetric functions. Fredholm Pfaffian formulas are established for the half‐space ASEP and six‐vertex model, indicating a hidden free fermionic structure.

Particle aerosol generation and potential altering in airflow used for acute/repeated inhalation toxicity testing

Reproducible aerosol generation in combination with stable aerosol properties are essential prerequisites for compliant performance of acute or repeated inhalation toxicity tests of particulate materials according to OECD TG 403, 436, 412, or 413. A frequent problem of powder aerosol generation is the formation of coarse agglomerates with low shear resistance, which are beyond the tolerable size range but not detected by the prescribed aerodynamic measurement techniques by cascade impactor as the measurement conditions cause a disintegration into smaller fragments. But such agglomerates are observed during the transport to the inhalation chambers. These effects particularly apply to high mass concentrations and low-density powders, i.e., pyrogenic oxides. This study describes the transport influence in the airflow on the change of powder aerosols and on their respirability.A simplified short tube set-up was developed for the aerosol transport pre-tests, which allows the determination of the optimal aerosol formation conditions for the inhalation tests. The particles were measured with low shear using laser diffraction measurement or optical particle counters. The calculation of the aerodynamic particle sizes prescribed in the guidelines requires knowledge of the effective particle density of the porous aerosol particles. A practicable method for determining these is presented and described. In the outlook, first low concentration measurements show that clear agglomeration effects can also occur at particle concentrations around 20 mg/m³.

Size-resolved effective density of ambient aerosols measured by an AAC–SMPS tandem system in Beijing

The effective density is an essential physical property of atmospheric aerosols. The study of the effective density helps characterize the aerodynamic behavior of aerosol particles, providing vital information on the chemical composition, mixing state, and aging process of the particles. Size-resolved effective density measurements based on the Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier–Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (AAC–SMPS) tandem system were conducted in Beijing from March 10 to 31, 2023. This study analyzed the relationship between the aerodynamic diameter and effective density and the characteristics of the effective density under different pollution conditions. During the entire observation period, the average effective densities for the 150-, 250-, 350-, 450-, and 550-nm particles were 1.48 ± 0.07, 1.59 ± 0.08, 1.69 ± 0.09, 1.73 ± 0.09, and 1.75 ± 0.13 g/cm3, respectively, i.e., the effective density was highly particle size-dependent, exhibiting higher values at larger aerodynamic diameters. The size-resolved effective density under different pollution conditions differed and was related to the air mass variations. Under dusty conditions, the effective density of particles was highest under the influence of dust air masses from the northern areas. The effective density of small particles (150–350 nm) of the northern clean air masses was lower than that of the southern polluted air masses; however, the opposite was observed for large particles (450–550 nm). The diurnal effective density variation was generally more pronounced during daytime. Under both clean and dusty conditions, there was a sudden effective density decrease at 150 nm during the evening peak traffic. Under the influence of new particle formation (NPF) events, a significant effective density decrease was observed when the accumulation mode began to grow.

Mixing state and effective density of aerosol particles during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games

Abstract. Mixing state and density are two key parameters of aerosol particles affecting their impacts on radiative forcing and human health. Here a single-particle aerosol mass spectrometer in tandem with a differential mobility analyzer and an aerodynamic aerosol classifier was deployed during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games (OWG) to investigate the impacts of emission controls on particle mixing state and density. Our results show the dominance of carbonaceous particles comprising mainly total elemental carbon (Total-EC, 13.4 %), total organic carbon (Total-OC, 10.5 %) and Total-ECOC (47.1 %). Particularly, the particles containing organic carbon and sulfate were enhanced significantly during OWG, although those from primary emissions decreased. The composition of carbonaceous particles also changed significantly which was characterized by the decreases in EC mixed with nitrate and sulfate (EC-NS), EC mixed with potassium nitrate (KEC-N), and amine-containing particles and increase in ECOC mixed with nitrate and sulfate (ECOC-NS). This result indicates that emission controls during OWG reduced the mixing of EC with inorganic aerosol species and amines yet increased the mixing of EC with organic aerosol. The average effective density (ρeff) of aerosol particles (150–300 nm) was 1.15 g cm−3 during the non-Olympic Winter Games (nOWG), with higher values during OWG (1.26 g cm−3) due to the increase in secondary particle contribution. In addition, the ρeff of most particles increased with the increases in pollution levels and relative humidity, yet they varied differently for different types of particles, highlighting the impacts of aging and formation processes on the changes of particle density and mixing state.

Characterization of size-resolved effective density of atmospheric particles in an urban atmosphere in Southern China

Effective density (ρeff) is one of the most important physical properties of atmospheric particles, providing important references in exploring the emissions and aging processes of fresh particles. In this study, a combined system of differential mobility analyzer, centrifugal particle mass analyzer, and condensation particle counter was used to periodically measure the ρeff of atmospheric particles in Shenzhen from Oct. 2021 to Jan. 2022. Results showed that the ρeff of particles with various size presented a bimodal distribution, which could be divided into main density (ρm, main peak, corresponding to relatively dense particles after aging) and sub density (ρs, sub peak, corresponding to fresh particles). The occurrence frequencies of ρs of particles with diameters of 50 and 80 nm were less than 20%, but were as high as about 40% of that with diameters from 120 to 350 nm. The ρm showed increasing trend with the size of particles, while ρs decreased as the increasing of the size of particles. The ρeff on pollution day varied significantly with chemical compositions. The increasing of the proportion of sulfate could promote the increasing of ρeff, while black carbon and organic matter caused opposite effects, which may be related to various factors, including the difference of the material density and morphology of various chemical components. The ρeff of 50, 80 and 120 nm particles decreased considerably during the new particle formation event, indicating that organic condensation was an important contributor to new particle growth.

Ultrafine particles in urban settings: A combined study of volatility and effective density revealed by VT-DMA-APM

Volatility and effective density of aerosol particles are complicatedly linked properties, undergoing dynamic temporal evolution in the ambient environment. However, the simultaneous investigation of these physicochemical characteristics remains unexplored in roadside environments that exhibit a significant proportion of motorcycles in the vehicle fleet - a common scenario in Southeast Asia. As such, we deployed an innovative in-situ measurement technique, specifically the Volatile Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer and Aerosol Particle Mass Analyzer (VT-DMA-APM) system, to investigate ultrafine particles (UFPs) in an urban region of northern Taiwan. Our findings revealed that the UFPs predominant in this study area were largely soot aggregates interspersed with condensable materials. Traffic-related air pollutants (TRAPs), specifically condensable organic substances, emerged as key determinants of particle effective density and volatility. Intriguingly, the peculiar interrelation between aerosol physicochemical properties and particle size suggests that UFPs may represent an amalgamation of black carbon (BC) coated with condensable substances and non-BC-containing particles. We observed an inverse relationship between effective density and volatility, indicative of atmospheric aging processes. Moreover, concurrent measurements of Absorption Angstrom Exponent (AAE) and shape factor (Ks) provided valuable insights into variations in optical properties and morphology during aging. Peak AAE and minimal Ks values consistently occurred at noon, implying heightened particle aging during this period due to coating and morphological alterations.

Settling of Iron and Aluminum Particles in Acid Solutions for Acid Drainage Remediation

Mineral processing is intensive in water usage. Unfortunately, a large portion of this valuable asset is contaminated by toxic species that leach from tailings or mineral ore, leading to the formation of acid drainage. Water from acid drainages can still be recovered by passive environmentally friendly treatments. An underestimated passive treatment is the settling of harmful metals, such as iron and aluminum. In this sense, floc settling from acid drainage has not been well studied. The objective of this work is to research the phenomena governing iron and aluminum floc settling in acid drainage, particularly, the chemical conditions that promote settling. The settling velocity of iron and aluminum flocs was studied in a column at different pH and iron/aluminum concentrations. Stability was studied through zeta potential. According to the results, iron flocs settle faster than aluminum and aluminum+iron (mixed) flocs, and a lower pH promotes a higher settling velocity and greater floc stability, which a lower zeta potential (which favors aggregation) allows for. The results improve the understanding of the interactions between the chemical and physical processes involved in floc settling, which, in turn, can improve the optimization of water treatment design. Future experiments must include particle size distribution, floc porosity, and effective particle density of iron and/or aluminum particles in acid waters.

The effect of black carbon aging from NO2 oxidation of SO2 on its morphology, optical and hygroscopic properties

Atmospheric aging of black carbon (BC) leads to changes in its physiochemical properties, exerting complex effects on environment and climate. In this study, we have conducted laboratory chamber experiments to investigate the effects of BC aging on its morphology, hygroscopicity and optical properties by exposing monodisperse fresh BC particles to ambient ubiquitous species of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3) in absence of UV light. We show a rapid aging from highly fractal to compacted aggregates for the monodisperse BC particles with an initial diameter of 150 nm, with decline in the dynamic shape factor (χ) from about 1.8 to nearly 1. The effective density of the monodisperse BC particles increases from ∼0.54 to 1.50 g cm−3 accordingly. The aging process leads to that the light scattering, absorption, and single scattering albedo of the monodisperse BC particles are strongly enhanced by factors of 7.0, 1.8 and 3.0 respectively. By comparing with the BC aging from other mechanisms, we reveal a critical role of the composition of the coating materials on BC in determining its light absorption enhancement. Moreover, due to strong water uptake capacity of the aged BC particles, the light absorption enhancement (Eabs) could be 40–60% higher at humid atmosphere compared with dry conditions. This BC aging process from NO2 oxidation of SO2 may occur commonly in polluted regions and thus considerably alter its effects on regional air quality and climate.

A comparative study on effective density, shape factor, and volatile mixing of non-spherical particles using tandem aerodynamic diameter, mobility diameter, and mass measurements

Combustion-generated particles are typically non-spherical (soot aggregates) and sometimes mixed with organic compounds (e.g. in vehicle emissions). The effective density, dynamic shape factor, and volatile mixing of particles are widely studied using aerosol instruments that measure the particle mobility diameter, aerodynamic diameter, and mass. In theory, any of these three physical properties can be obtained from a combination of the other two. In the present study, a tandem arrangement of aerodynamic aerosol classifier (AAC; measuring aerodynamic diameter), differential mobility analyzer (DMA; measuring mobility diameter), optional catalytic stripper (CS), and centrifugal particle mass analyzer (CPMA; measuring particle mass) was used to study the effective density, dynamic shape factor, and volatile mixing of non-spherical non-homogenous particles. In terms of mass, the vast majority of the particles were purely semi-volatile mixed with soot with and without semi-volatile coating. The effective density of polydisperse non-stripped particles was relatively constant (indicating nearly spherical particles), while that of polydisperse stripped particles decreased from ∼1200 to ∼800 kg/m3 as the particle size increased (indicating a compact structure). The effective density of monodisperse particles, measured by DMA-CPMA, AAC-DMA, and AAC-CPMA methods, was consistent within the measurement uncertainty; however, the latter method had larger discrepancy with the other two methods, particularly for non-spherical particles. The dynamic shape factor, measured by AAC-CPMA and DMA-CPMA methods, increased with the mobility diameter, a trend also supported by electron micrographs. The volatile mass fraction of particles decreased as their mobility diameter increased, with smaller particles having volatile mass fraction of ∼20%. This result was further confirmed by chemical characterization of size-selected particles, proving the robustness of online aerosol measurements.

Portable multilateral measurement system employing Optical Particle Counter and one-stage Quartz Crystal Microbalance to measure PM10

Air pollutants can cause a variety of environmental and health problems, and several epidemiological and clinical studies have investigate the association of diseases with air pollution. Air pollutants include fine particles and ultrafine particles, which show complex aspects depending on time and space. Therefore, a portable system for measuring fine particles is required. In this study, we developed a portable system to measure the number concentration, mass concentration, and effective density of PM10, which are important measures of fine particles. Current devices used to measure the effective density of particles are either large or only able to measure target particles at the nanoscale. In this study, an Optical Particle Counter (OPC) and a one-stage Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) impactor were used to compose a PM10 multilateral measurement system to calculate the effective density of PM10. OPC is a small device that measures the number concentration of particles, and the QCM impactor measures the mass concentration of particles. Currently available QCM impactors for particle measurement are large devices. Therefore, we miniaturized it in the form of a one-stage impactor. The QCM was installed on an impaction plate to collect the particles. Through the developed system, the number and mass concentrations of input particles were simultaneously measured, and their effective density was calculated using the measured concentrations. Finally, outdoor air monitoring was performed, and the obtained measurements were validated by comparing them with the measurements of reference devices. A difference of 4.7% and 11% were obtained for mass and number concentrations, respectively. Therefore, the effective density of PM10 was successfully calculated.

Different characteristics of individual particles from light-duty diesel vehicle at the launching and idling state by AAC-SPAMS

The rapid development of cities and economic prosperity greatly motivates the growth of vehicular exhaust particles, especially the diesel-exhausted particles from the large fleet of passenger and freight, which present profound implications on climate, air quality, and biological health (e.g., pulmonary, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases). As important physiochemical properties of atmospheric aerosols, however, the mixing state and effective density of individual particles emitted from diesel-powered vehicles under different driving conditions and their environmental implications remain uncertain. Here, a single-particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) was used to investigate the chemical composition and vacuum aerodynamic diameter (Dva), along with the aerodynamic diameter (Da) from an aerodynamic aerosol classifier (AAC), to determine the effective density of primary particles emitted from a light- duty diesel vehicle (LDDV) under the launching and idling engine states. Interestingly, the particle types and effective density appear to vary significantly with the engine status. A single particle type of Ca-rich particles, named Na-Ca-PAH, was predominant in the idling state, whose chemical components may be affected by the lubricants and incomplete combustion, contributing to a higher effective density (0.66 ± 0.21 g cm−3). In contrast, launching particles exhibited a lower effective density (0.34 ± 0.17 g cm−3) because of the substantial elemental carbon (EC). In addition, the effective density depends not only on the particle size but also on the chemical components with various abundances. EC and Ca play opposite roles in the effective density of LDDV emissions. Notably, a higher proportion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was observed in the idling particles, contributing to 78 ± 1.2%. Given the high contribution to these PAH-containing particles in the idling state, indispensable precautions should be taken at bus stops or waiting for pedestrians. This study provides more comprehensive insights into the initial characteristics of LDDV particles due to the launching and idling states, which is beneficial for improving the model results of source apportionment and understanding its environmental behavior regarding human health.

Technical note: Measurement of chemically resolved volume equivalent diameter and effective density of particles by AAC-SPAMS

Abstract. Size and effective density (ρe) are important properties of aerosol particles and are related to their influences on human health and the global climate. The volume equivalent diameter (Dve) is an intrinsic property that is used to evaluate particle size. Three definitions of ρe are generally used to characterize the physical property of a particle as an alternative to particle density, in which only the ρeII, defined as the ratio of particle density (ρp) to a dynamic shape factor (χ), has the characteristic of being independent of particle size. However, it is still challenging to simultaneously characterize the Dve and ρeII of aspherical particles. Here, we present a novel system that classifies particles with their aerodynamic diameter (Da) by aerodynamic aerosol classifier (AAC) and determines their vacuum aerodynamic diameter (Dva) by single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) to achieve a measurement of Dve and ρeII. The reliability of the AAC-SPAMS system for accurately obtaining Dve and ρeII is verified based on the result that the deviation between the measured and theoretical values is less than 6 % for the size-resolved spherical polystyrene latex (PSL). The AAC-SPAMS system was applied to characterize the Dve and ρeII of (NH4)2SO4 and NaNO3 particles, suggesting that these particles are aspherical and their ρeII is independent of particle size. Finally, the AAC-SPAMS system was deployed in a field measurement, showing that it is a powerful technique to characterize the chemically resolved Dve and ρeII of particles in real time.

Real-time characterization of particles produced by laser ablation for analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) is a powerful technique used for trace element analysis of solid samples. While quantitative analysis can be achieved for many samples with careful use of matrix-matched standards, the complex relationship between the properties of the LA-generated particles and their dependence on the operating conditions, the vagaries of particle transport in the cell and transfer system, and the preferential or incomplete particle evaporation, atomization and ionization in the ICP limits this technique from being fully quantitative over a wide range of sample types and or analytical conditions. The characterization of LA-generated particles represents a particular challenge because of their complex shapes, morphologies, and large and size-dependent void fractions. Improved understanding of how laser settings affect the detailed properties of the LA-generated particles and how particle properties relate to ICPMS signal can potentially lead to ways to effectively tailor or modify inherent sample particles or to add engineered particles as standards, tracers, modifiers, carriers, or concentrators. This work investigates changes in physicochemical properties of LA-generated particles in response to altered laser ablation conditions, including laser power, repetition rate, flow rate, scan rate, and spot size. This is achieved using a multidimensional particle characterization approach that measures in real-time number concentrations, mobility and vacuum aerodynamic diameter distributions, mass, chemical composition, and effective density of individual particles as a function of LA conditions, using a glass standard and a pitchblende ore as samples. These measurements yield fractal dimension, average diameter of primary spherules, number of spherules, void fraction, and dynamic shape factors as a function of particle mass or size. This approach can be extended to other samples and laser wavelengths to comprehensively characterize LA-generated particles and their effects on corresponding ICPMS signals.

Refinement of the Solidification Structure of Austenitic Fe-Mn-C-Al TWIP Steel

The solidification structure of austenitic Fe-22Mn-0.6C-1.6Al TWIP steel with and without Ce inoculation is compared on the macro- and microscale. The expansion of the equiaxed zone, decrease of equiaxed dendrite size and thinning of the dendrite arm are observed in Ce-inoculated TWIP steel. The refining mechanism for the expanded equiaxed zone and the decreased equiaxed dendrite size is the Ce2O3 particles acting as the heterogeneous nucleation sites. With increasing Ce content, the effective density of Ce2O3 particles of around 1 μm size increases initially and then decreases, while the total density always increases. The average diameter of Ce2O3 particles in TWIP steel increases as the amount of Ce increases. The mechanism for the thinning of the secondary dendrite arm is mainly by the solute effect, including the increase in both the undercooling in front of the dendrite tip and the drag effect on solid-liquid interface migration. In addition, the correspondence between the dendrite and grain in Fe-Mn-C-Al TWIP steel under as-cast condition is revealed. It is observed that the primary dendrite interface completely matches the austenite grain boundary. The crystallographic relationship follows 〈100〉d//〈100〉g and {100}d//{100}g (d and g represent the dendrite and grain, respectively) in both the columnar and equiaxed zones. The refinement of the equiaxed austenite grain in Fe-Mn-C-Al TWIP steel is purely the result of dendrite refining during solidification.

Wintertime aerosol properties in Beijing

Abstract. Severe wintertime haze events with exceedingly high levels of aerosols have occurred frequently in China in recent years, impacting human health, weather, and the climate. A better knowledge of the formation mechanism and aerosol properties during haze events is helpful for the development of effective mitigation policies. In this study, we present field measurements of aerosol properties at an urban site in Beijing during January and February 2015. A suite of aerosol instruments were deployed to measure a comprehensive set of aerosol chemical and physical properties. The evolution of haze events in winter, dependent on meteorological conditions, consistently involves new particle formation during the clean period and subsequently continuous growth from the nucleation mode particles to submicron particles over the course of multiple days. Particulate organic matter is primarily responsible for producing the nucleation mode particles, while secondary organic and inorganic components jointly contribute to the high aerosol mass observed during haze events. The average effective density and hygroscopic parameter (κ) of ambient particles are approximately 1.37 g cm−3 and 0.25 during the clean period and increase to 1.42 g cm−3 and 0.4 during the polluted period, indicating the formation of secondary inorganic species from the continuous growth of nucleation mode particles. Our results corroborate that the periodic cycles of severe haze formation in Beijing during winter are attributed to the efficient nucleation and secondary aerosol growth under high gaseous precursor concentrations and the stagnant air conditions, highlighting that reductions in emissions of aerosol precursor gases are critical for remedying secondary aerosol formation and thereby mitigating haze pollution.

Correlations of PM metrics with human respiratory system deposited PM mass determined from ambient particle size distributions and effective densities

The size distribution and effective density of ambient particles were measured with and without using Catalytic Stripper (CS) at Riverside, CA in September 2015 and June 2016 to calculate time-depe...

Effective density and hygroscopicity of protein particles generated with spray-drying process

Laboratory investigations of aerosol physico-chemical properties are usually initiated by spray-drying processes. Morphology of the generated particles may vary largely under different spray-drying conditions, which may further affect the characterization of particle properties. However, only limited data is available on the morphology of nebulized submicron particles, particularly for protein particles. To fill this gap, a centrifugal particle mass analyzer coupled with a scanning mobility particle sizer was used to analyze the effective density, an indicator of particle morphology, of nebulized protein particles (bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin) in a size range from 40 to 200 nm. Results indicate that the effective density of the protein particles generated via spray-drying processes is mainly determined by the competition between the removal of liquid water and the redistribution of the solute monomers in the sprayed droplets. Factors increasing the time needed for solute monomers redistribution (e.g. lower solution concentration and larger particle dry size) or decreasing the time needed for liquid water removal (e.g. higher drying rate) may result in a lower particle effective density, meaning a semi-solid structure or partially hollow morphology. This is also confirmed by the particle hygroscopicity measured with a nano-particle hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer and a high humidity tandem differential mobility analyzer. Our results suggest that the factors affecting the morphology of particles may be complex and coupled with each other, highlighting the importance of monitoring particle effective densities in studies using aerosol particles generated via spray-drying processes.

Effect of fuel composition on properties of particles emitted from a diesel–natural gas dual fuel engine

The effective density and mixing state of particles emitted from a natural gas–diesel dual fuel engine are investigated. Measurements were conducted at three different fuel compositions including 100% diesel fuel (0% NG), 75% diesel–25% natural gas (25% NG) and 50% diesel–50% NG (50% NG). The particle effective density was measured using a differential mobility analyzer in series with a centrifugal particle mass analyzer. A catalytic stripper at 350 °C was employed upstream of the centrifugal particle mass analyzer in order to remove the semi-volatile material from the solid particles to measure the effective density of non-volatile particles as well as the particle mixing state. A scanning mobility particle sizer was used to measure the particle size distribution. The particle mass concentration was also measured using several techniques including cavity-attenuated phase-shift particulate matter single-scattering albedo, laser-induced incandescence, thermal-optical analysis, photoacoustic spectroscopy, and integrated particle size distribution. The semi-volatile number and mass fractions are found to be lower than 15%. The effective density functions of particles at 0% and 25% NG are within 6% of each other; however, the effective density values of particles at 50% NG are lower than those of the 0% NG by up to 35%. The mass-mobility exponent varies in the range of 2.42–2.51 and 2.38–2.54 for undenuded and denuded particles, respectively. For the mass concentration measurements, photoacoustic spectroscopy agrees with thermal-optical analysis within 5%, while all the other techniques measure up to 50% deviations relative to thermal-optical analysis.

Size, effective density, morphology, and nano-structure of soot particles generated from buoyant turbulent diffusion flames

With a global gas flaring volume of ∼140 billion cubic meters, flares are an important source of particulate emissions; however, very little is known about the physical and morphological properties of these particle emissions. To study these properties, a laboratory pipe flare producing a buoyant turbulent diffusion flame was used which allowed controlled experiments on flames up to ∼3 m tall. Three flare diameters (38.1, 50.8, and 76.2 mm) were used in this study with fuel exit velocities of 0.5, 0.9, and 1.5 m/s. ‘Light’, ‘medium’, and ‘heavy’ fuel compositions (consisting of C1 to C4 alkanes, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen in concentration representative of flares in the Alberta, Canada upstream oil and gas sector) were used, where heavier compositions refer to a greater concentration of higher order alkanes. Size distributions of soot particles were measured using a scanning mobility particle sizer. Mass-mobility relationship and effective density of particles were determined using a tandem arrangement of a differential mobility analyzer, a centrifugal particle mass analyzer and a condensation particle counter. Morphology and nano-structure of the particles were studied using transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Results showed that the particle median diameter and concentration increased as the fuel composition was changed from light to medium to heavy. On the other hand, particle morphology, measured by the relationships between particle mass vs. mobility (or effective density) and primary particle size vs. particle aggregate size, was independent of fuel composition, flow rate, or flare size and was in good agreement with previously reported values for that of soot particles from different internal combustion engines. Previously developed relations between effective density and primary particle size work well for the soot particles of this study. Raman spectroscopy indicated slightly lower D1/G ratios (more graphitic content) for the heavier fuels.

On the Effective Density of Soot Particles in Premixed Ethylene Flames

In this work, the effective density of soot particles was studied in burner-stabilized-stagnation premixed ethylene flames, at an equivalent ratio of 2.0 and over the maximum flame temperature of 1747 K < Tmax < 1837 K, using micro-orifice probe sampling in tandem with a centrifugal particle mass analyzer, a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and a condensation particle counter. For a better understanding of the variation of effective density with mobility diameter, monodisperse soot particles between 10 and 50 nm were classified via the DMA and imaged by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The particle size distribution functions and the C/H ratio of the particles were measured by a scanning mobility particle sizer and an elemental analyzer, separately. The results show that for all these flames, effective density first increases and then decreases with increasing mobility diameter, and the maximum occurs at the mobility diameter of ∼20 nm, which is consistent with the size for soot morphology changing from spherical-like to non-spherical shapes according to the TEM images. With the increase of flame temperature, the effective density decreases, which is caused by the slower particle growth rate at higher temperatures as shown by a series of evidences.