Volatile particles formation during PartEmis: a modelling study

X. Vancassel (1) , A. Sorokin (2) , P. Mirabel (1) , A. Petzold (3) , C. Wilson (4)

1 CGS - Centre de géochimie de la surface
2 Central Institute for Aviation Motors
3 IPA - DLR Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre = DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics
4 Qinetiq

A modelling study of the formation of volatile particles in a combustor exhaust has been carried out in the frame of the PartEmis European project. A kinetic model has been used in order to investigate nucleation efficiency of the H₂O-H₂SO₄ binary mixture in the sampling system. A value for the fraction e of the fuel sulphur S(IV) converted into S(VI) has been indirectly deduced from comparisons between model results and measurements. In the present study, e ranges between roughly 2.5% and 6%, depending on the combustor settings and on the microphysical approach used. Soot particles hygroscopicity has also been investigated as their activation is a key parameter for contrail formation. Growth factors of monodisperse particles exposed to high relative humidity (95%) have been calculated and compared with experimental results. The modelling study confirms that the growth factor increases as the soot particle size decreases.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère

X. Vancassel, A. Sorokin, P. Mirabel, A. Petzold, C. Wilson. Volatile particles formation during PartEmis: a modelling study. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, 2003, 3 (6), pp.5803-5829. ⟨hal-00327898⟩