Dekati Ltd.

Technical note

Dekati ejector diluter in exhaust measurements, ver. 2.1

DEKATI Ltd tel +358(0)3-3578100
Osuusmyllynkatu 13 fax +358(0)3-3578140
FIN-33700 TAMPERE email: support@dekati.fi
FINLAND http://www.dekati.fi

Author: Dekati Ltd., HET

Date: 27.09.2001
Keywords: Sampling, dilution, ejector diluter
Modified: 17.02.2003, HET

Introduction
Dekati diluter enables aerosol sampling from high particle concentrations, temperatures and humid
environments. It is especially useful in vehicle exhaust and combustion aerosol measurements and
suitable for any application if you can extract about 7-8 l/min exhaust sample for particle analyses.
This sample can be extracted from anywhere in the exhaust system, as long as the pressure is
practically stable and the temperature is under 450 ºC.

Figure 1. Dekati diluter.

Ejector diluter

Operation principle
The operation principle of Dekati diluter is based on under pressure caused by the dilution gas
flowing through an annular nozzle. This under pressure draws a sample flow through a nozzle. If the
dilution gas flow is increased the under pressure increases correspondingly and the sample flow is
increased (Figure 2). Thus, the dilution ratio remains constant, if the pressure in exhaust pipe is
constant (i.e. the pressure drop through the nozzle remains constant), which is practically the case in
an end-pipe measurement. The dilution air flow is controlled using a critical orifice at the pressurized
air inlet.

SAMPLE IN SAMPLE OUT

dP

DILUTER BODY

DILUTION AIR

SAMPLE

NOZZLE

Figure 2. Operating principle of the Dekati ejector diluter

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The strength of Dekati Diluter is that as long as your sample pressure remains constant the dilution
ratio remains constant. In addition, each diluter is calibrated individually. In the calibration data, the
dilution ratio is checked for inlet pressures 800–1050 mbar. In case of pressure fluctuations in the
sampling site, the exhaust from the diluter is lead back to the sampling point to keep the pressure
drop through the nozzle constant and thus prevent deviations in the dilution ratio.

The dilution ratio check is recommended to be carried out during situations where the inlet pressure
is varying significantly during the measurement period. This is the case e.g. if heavy duty engines are
tested with transient cycles. The dilution ratio can be checked by measuring a tracer gas
concentration in raw and diluted sample.

Preventing nucleation and condensation

In case of hot sampling, a two-stage dilution system is recommended to be used. In this setup, the
first stage is heated. This way, the vapor pressures of volatile components are decreased and thus
condensation and nucleation of these compounds, and in some cases fouling of the dilution unit, is
prevented. In addition this allows the secondary dilution with cold dilution gas without condensing the
volatile components. Moreover, the secondary dilution is carried out with cold air to cool the sample
in a controlled manner. Otherwise, some particles may be lost onto the transport lines by
thermophoresis.

The dilution air for the first diluter as well as the first diluter itself should be heated approximately up
to the temperature of the sample gas. The maximum operating temperature for the Dekati diluters is
450 °C. However, the dilution ratio during hot dilution needs to be calibrated separately.

Measurement setup
The recommended setup for tailpipe or stack measurement includes:
– two diluters
– one diluter heater + temperature controller
– pressurized air heater + temperature controller
– pressurized air regulator, filter and dryer

Figure 3 represents the recommended measurement setup for two Dekati diluters.

Isokinetic Sampling

Pressurized
Air Heater
Dekati Diluter
(1/10) and
Pressurized Insulated Diluter
Air, 2 bar Heater Diluter
exhausts
back to stack

Pressurized
Air Dryer &
Regulator Unit Dekati Diluter
(1/10)

Figure 3. Dekati diluter is an ejector type diluter, i.e. the pressure drop through the ejector nozzle controls
the dilution ratio. If the exhaust pipe is connected to same pressure as the inlet then there are no pressure
drop variations through the nozzle and the flow through the nozzle remains constant as does the dilution
ratio.

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The dilution ratio of one Dekati diluter is 1:10 giving a total dilution ratio of about 1:100 to the double-
diluter setup. Diluters are also available with dilution ratios of 1:7 and 1:15 (at NTP).

Isokinetic sampling
Isokinetic sampling means that the sample flow velocity in the sampling probe is equal to that of the
sample flow in the exhaust tube. If isokinetic sampling is not achieved, the concentration of large
particles can be over- or underestimated. To achieve isokinetic sampling, a correct sized probe has
to be selected.

In vehicle exhaust measurements isokinetic sampling from the tailpipe is not so essential. It begins to
affect the results only with larger particles, and since vehicle exhaust particles are mostly < 1µm the
effect is negligible (Figure 4). For particles smaller than 1 µm flow velocities can vary from 0.05 to 10
times the optimal velocity with no practical effect on the particle size distribution.

Effect of sample flow from DEKATI diluter,

calculated at 150C for N2 & 10 % of water vapour
according to Hinds, (1999) and Willeke and Baron (1993)
100 %
80 %
C/Ctot, 2.8 slpm
60 % C/Ctot, 6.5 slpm
40 % C/Ctot, 13.2 slpm

20 %
C/Ctot, %

0%
-20 %0.01 0.1 1 10 100

-40 %
-60 %
-80 %
-100 %
Aerodynamic diameter, µm

Figure 4. Effect of isokinetic sampling.

Losses inside Dekati diluter

The particle losses of the Dekati diluter have been determined with various flow rates using Electrical
TM
Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI ). For particles smaller than 1µm the losses proved to be negligible in
all tests. For particles in the size range of 1–5 µm, in the worst case, the losses were less than 10%.
The worst case was for liquid particles with a sample flow downstream of the first dilutor less than
10% of the design value. The tests were not carried out for particles larger than 5 µm.

Specifications of the Dekati Diluter

· Maximum operating temperature 450 °C

· Total length 360 mm
· Maximum diameter 120 mm
· Inlet 12 mm, male pipe
· Outlet 12 mm, male pipe
· Exhaust 12 mm, male pipe
· Pressurised air 8 mm swagelok, female
· Operation pressure 2 bar

For more information, please contact Dekati Ltd.

3 Dekati Ltd. Technical note

References
Ahlvik, P., Ntziachristos L., Keskinen J., Virtanen A., (1998). Real Time Measurements of Diesel
Particle Size Distribution with an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor. SAE Technical Paper Series
980410.

Maricq, M., Chase, R. E., Podsiadlik, D. H. and Vogt, R. (1999) Vehicle exhaust particle size
distribution: a comparison of tailpipe and dilution tunnel measurements, SAE Technical Paper Series
1999-01-1461.

Willeke, K. & Baron, J. 1993. Aerosol measurement: Principles, Techniques and Applications. Van
Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Hinds, W.C. Aerosol Technology - properties, behavior, and measurement of airborne particles.
Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, inc. pp. 206-213.

4 Dekati Ltd. Technical note