Non-polar organic compounds, volatility and oxidation reactivity of particulate matter emitted from diesel engine fueled with ternary fuels in blended and fumigation modes

The present experimental study aims to examine the impacts of various fueling modes of operation on the particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes (C16–C30), and volatility and oxidation reactivity of particulate matter (PM) emitted from a diesel engine fueled with a ternary fuel (80% diesel, 5% biodiesel and 15% ethanol (D80B5E15, volume %)) under four engine operating conditions. Four fueling modes, including diesel, blended, fumigation and combined fumigation + blended (F + B) modes were tested using pure diesel fuel for diesel mode and a constant fuel content of D80B5E15 for the blended, fumigation and F + B modes to create the same condition for comparing their impacts on the parameters investigated. The average results illustrate that both blended and fumigation modes can reduce the PAHs (−78.4% and −31.3%), benzo[a]pyrene equivalent (−81.7% and −38.9%), n-alkanes (−46.5% and −21.5%) and non-volatile substance fraction (−25.1% and −11.1%), but increase the high-volatile substance fraction (12.8% and 6.9%) and oxidation reactivity rate (34.0% and 4.9%), respectively compared to those of the diesel mode. While the effect of the blended mode on the parameters investigated is stronger than the fumigation mode. And the F + B mode has the effects in between the results of the blended and fumigation modes. [Display omitted] •PAHs, n-Alkanes and oxidation reactivity of PM of diesel engine were analyzed.•Diesel, blended, fumigation and F + B (fumigation + blended) modes were tested.•Diesel-biodiesel-ethanol in blended mode is more effective than in fumigation mode.•Blended mode has the lowest PAHs and n-Alkanes and highest oxidation reactivity.•Blended mode is suitable in diesel engines for environmental and health protection.