Factors influencing the number distribution and size of the particles emitted from a modern diesel vehicle in real urban traffic

Particle emissions from diesel engine cars depend firstly on exhaust aftertreatment systems but the use of the vehicle becomes also crucial. In urban areas, this use depends on: transport demand, route choices, traffic density, street conditions, weather, driver behaviour and topographical characteristics of the roads. Nowadays, most diesel vehicles in urban areas across Europe are equipped with exhaust aftertreatment systems aiming to reduce the total mass of emitted particles. In comparison to earlier aftertreatment systems, the implementation of modern procedures is causing a reduction in the size of the emitted particles up to a nanometric range. The main goal of this work is the characterization of particle size and number distribution in the submicrometric range from a modern diesel vehicle emission in real traffic conditions in the city of Madrid with the purpose of assessing the actual weight of the different city parameters influencing the particle emission. In order to accomplish this objective, up to 12 on board emission measurement experiments have been performed with a Euro IV Diesel passenger car driving along a single urban circuit in Madrid City. To cover the main external factors, stretch, traffic conditions and driving directions have been considered as independent variables for this study. Assuming a proper car operating conditions, the results show that street characteristics, vehicle density and topographic features are the main factors conditioning the particle emission. Extrapolating our results, a diesel standard passenger car circulating across a city like Madrid can emit more nanoparticles per kilometre (up to 114% more in this study) at peak hour than at off peak hour. Moreover, the driving direction can also influence dramatically the emission of nanoparticles per second. This difference in the emission rate depends on the street but in our study it can be higher than 110% depending on the driving direction.

► The subject was a diesel engine running in real traffic in Madrid.
► Particle number per kilometre is closely related with the vehicle speed profile.
► Particle number concentration depends significantly on topography and street type.
► Nanoparticle size and number distribution depends on hourly traffic intensity.
► Vehicle low speed and idle periods cause an increase in accumulation particle mode.