Simulation of diesel particulate matter size

The effect of different parameters on the size of diesel particulate matter (DPM) emitted into the atmosphere by the diesel engine of a typical European passenger car has been simulated using software developed in-house. The software is based on a previous neural fitting of experimental data from eight different fuels tested under two operating steady conditions (reproducing modes of the European transient urban/extraurban certification cycle). The equations allow the size of DPM to be determined as a function of the fuel composition (aromatic content, cetane index, gross heat power, nitrogen and sulphur content) and operation conditions (torque and engine speed). The scrubbing effect (related to the amount of sulphates present in the insoluble fraction) is also included in the model. Mathematical fittings reproduce experimental data with an average error of 12%.