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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EXHAUST PARTICLES FROM GAS TURBINE ENGINES
Citation:
Robertson, D., J. Elwood, AND R. Groth. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EXHAUST PARTICLES FROM GAS TURBINE ENGINES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-79/041.
Description:
A program was conducted to chemically characterize particulate emissions from a current technology, high population, gas turbine engine. Attention was focused on polynuclear aromatic compounds, phenols, nitrosamines and total organics. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined by HPLC, GC/MS and NMR techniques. Phenols and nitrosamines were isolated and then measured by gas chromatographic methods utilizing flame ionization detection and nitrogen detection. Total organics were determined by a backflush chromatographic procedure. The particulate matter was collected using a high capacity pumping system incorporating 293 mm diameter Teflon filters through which was passed up to 43 cu m of exhaust gas. Extraction of the organic matter was performed in a Soxhlet extractor using hexane. The engine was operated at idle, approach, climb and take-off power settings with low sulfur (0.007%S) and high sulfur (0.25%S) fuels. Most of the PAH were small 3-to-4 fused ring species. No nitrosamines were found and except in a few cases, at low levels, no phenols. PAH and total organic levels decreased with increasing power setting and were more concentrated in the exhaust from the low sulfur fuel. Less than 1% of the organic matter emitted from the engine was adsorbed on the particulate matter.