Size-segregated particulate matter emission characteristics of a heavy-duty diesel engine with oxygenated fuels

[Display omitted] •5 oxygenated fuels were evaluated including acetal and biodiesel.•Size-segregated diesel exhaust particles were collected and analyzed for volatile fraction and element carbon.•The effects of oxygenated fuels on the size-segregated particle emissions are of significant divergence.•Element carbon fraction of ultrafine particles is less than that of total particulate matter for fuel blends.•Ultrafine particles is easier to be oxidized than other particles. In order to investigate the size-resolved characteristics of diesel exhaust particles, four size bins particles were collected by electrical low pressure impactor from a diesel engine fueled with diesel and four oxygenated fuels and then studied by the thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that the higher oxygen content of fuel leads to the lower total particle and element carbon mass emission of the diesel engine. The element carbon mass fraction of the particles with the diameter of 0.03∼0.10µm is lower than that of total particles for all five fuels, especially for high oxygen content fuels. The composition pattern of the particles with the diameter of 0.10∼0.25µm and 0.25∼0.99µm is similar with that of total particles, whose element carbon fraction decreases and high volatility fraction increases with the increasing fuel oxygen content. For the particles with the diameter of 0.99∼2.46µm, the high volatility fraction is higher than that of other size bin particles. The derivative mass loss fraction curves of 4 size bins particles have 3 peaks, which is different from that of total particles having 2 peaks. The soot emitted from oxygenated fuels is easier to be oxidized than that from diesel for different size bin particles and total particles. The research is helpful to understand the interaction of diesel particles with the engine and particle trap.