Soot formation mechanism of modern automobile engines and methods of reducing soot emissions: A review

As the main pollutant emitted by automobile engines, soot particles have brought great harm to the environment and human health. However, the soot formation process in automobile engines is very complex, which is influenced by many factors, such as fuel properties, temperature, pressure, and environmental oxygen concentration. So, researches on the soot formation mechanism are meaningful to control soot production and reduce emission via advanced technology. In this paper, the soot formation mechanism in automobile engines and methods of reducing soot emission are summarized, which is helpful to comprehensively understand the research status of reducing soot emission, and lay a foundation for further research on the characteristics of oxygenated fuels and the methods of reducing soot emissions.