In-situ major und trace element detection of exhaust emissions from combustion engine

This project aims to develop a sensitive laser based optical method the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for fast and accurate compositional analyses of exhaust emissions from the Diesel engine personal vehicle. The element composition of the exhaust emissions and particulate matter from the engine combustion process is obtained by means of laser induced plasma optical emission spectroscopy. LIBS technique provides a sensitive and rapid analytical non-destructive measurement without sample pre-treatment in the range of sub- parts per million, depending on the sample composition. Here we propose a state-of-the-art laser analytical method which enables measuring directly in-situ with full stream exhaust emission without the need for dilution or the use of a sampling cell. Current existing commercial or laboratory technique requires modification of exhaust gas flow or it measures only a partial stream, in order to maintain constant measurement conditions. Diluting the exhaust gas can negatively influence low concentration measurements and moreover fast transient emission might be lost and not detected. However fast transient emission peaks from combustion process, form the main fraction of total emissions during standardized engine test cycles. An additional important requirement for fast transient emissions is a high temporal resolution of the measurement. By developing an in-situ full stream LIBS technique it would be possible to systematically study the exhaust emission composition and time evolution of fast transient emission peaks in a very short - nanosecond time-resolved domain. Such a technique will be very beneficial for fast major and minor element detection in pollutant emissions; for transient emission diagnostics and also for dynamic emission modelling; for understanding and optimisation of the combustion process and thereby meeting the future EU directives and regulations for reduction of overall pollutant emission from combustion engine driven vehicles.

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