Ricardo supports UK DfT in developing a non-exhaust emissions measurement system
17 June 2021
Ricardo, in collaboration with the Arup AECOM consortium is supporting the UK Department for Transport (DfT), in developing a system for measuring non-exhaust emissions (NEE) of particles, under real-world driving conditions.
Non-exhaust emissions of particles from road vehicles primarily arise from a combination of brake wear, tire wear, road surface wear, and the resuspension of dust particles. According to data from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), NEE are now the primary source of coarse and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) from road transport in the UK.
A key aim of this project is to improve knowledge on NEE and address the gaps so it can be used to inform policy and legislation aimed at reducing tire and brake wear particulate emissions. As the shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles increases it is important to address these gaps now, Ricardo said.
Ricardo will contribute expertise in air quality, particle measurements and automotive emissions, to design and test a system to determine the overall feasibility of an on-board tire and brake wear measurement.
Non-exhaust emissions are expected to overtake vehicle exhaust as the leading source of particle pollution from road traffic, according to a recent OECD report [4987]. The report also estimated that the total amount of non-exhaust PM emitted by passenger vehicles worldwide is likely to rise by more than 50% by 2030. NEEs, which remain unregulated, have been considered for inclusion in the upcoming Euro 7 emission standards. However, as NEEs are challenging to quantify—especially under real-world driving conditions—limits for NEEs are unlikely to be included in the Euro 7 regulation.
Ricardo Energy & Environment’s Particle Measurement Centre (PMC) and Automotive teams have previously co-operated extensively on the Particle Measurement Programme (PMP). The PMC continues to support PMP-related applications by providing an ISO17025-accredited calibration service for solid particle counting instrumentation (both particle counters and sample conditioning systems) used for regulatory compliance measurements of vehicle emissions by the automotive sector around the world.
Source: Ricardo