Characteristics of soot particles formed by diesel pyrolysis

This experiment involving diesel fuel pyrolysis was performed to study the process of soot formation without oxidation. The effects of temperature, residence time, and lubricating oil presence on soot formation were investigated through measurement of particle size distribution, morphology, and C/H ratio as well as through thermal analysis. The results show that the formation of soot during diesel pyrolysis depended strongly on both temperature and residence time. The critical temperature for the creation of soot with a primary particle diameter of 20 nm was about 1100 degrees C. Greater temperatures and residence times resulted in diesel soot particles that were more mature, i.e., with a higher C/H ratio, larger particle size, and higher ignition temperature. The carbonization of diesel soot through pyrolysis was also weakly affected by the addition of 5% lubricating oil to the diesel fuel. The results of this experiment provide information for modeling the formation of diesel soot without oxidation as well as for developing soot generators for after-treatment systems. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.