Development of Detection Techniques and Diagnostics for Airborne Carbon Nanoparticles
Project Information
| Principal Investigator | Westrich Henry |
| Institution | Sandia National Laboratory |
| Project URL | View |
| Relevance to Implications | Some |
| Class of Nanomaterial | Incidental Nanomaterials |
| Impact Sector | Environment |
| Broad Research Categories |
Response Control |
| NNI identifier |
Funding Information
| Country | USA |
| Anticipated Total Funding | $695,000.00 |
| Annual Funding | $99,285.71 |
| Funding Source | DOE |
| Funding Mechanism | Intramural |
| Funding Sector | Government |
| Start Year | 2000 |
| Anticipated End Year | 2007 |
Abstract/Summary
Sandia will develop a new capability at the Combustion Research Facility to determine size and mass distributions of sub-micron soot particles, which will allow the study of their formation in flames and in diesel and gasoline engines and their evolution when cooled and diluted. The goal is to study nanoparticle formation and evolution using noninvasive optical techniques, particularly Laser-Induced Incandescence (LII) for measuring particle mass concentrations and Laser Elastic Scattering (LES) for determining particle size. In addition, Sandia will investigate whether Laser-Induced Vaporization (LIV) can be used to identify the composition and volume fraction of volatile coatings that condense on these particles in combustion emissions. Sandia built a system for collecting LII data and recorded time-resolved LII signals from an ethylene flame over a range of laser fluences. To analyze these data and study the applicability of LII, a model was developed to describe the heating of soot particles during the laser pulse and the subsequent cooling of the particles by radiative emission, sublimation, and conduction. To narrow the model uncertainties, a source of soot is being developed that allows the determination and control of these parameters. Sandia is designing a method for extracting, diluting, and cooling soot. To further test the model, Sandia will measure the spectrally resolved LII signal during and after the laser pulse from which will be inferred time-resolved temperatures as the particle is heated and cooled. Sandia will develop a new capability at the Combustion Research Facility to determine size and mass distributions of sub-micron soot particles, which will allow the study of their formation in flames. This research focuses on improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions from the nation’s energy conversion systems.
