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The wall Flow Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is one of the major technologies used to meet the current and future Particulate Matter (PM) emission regulations on heavy duty applications. This technology, however, adds significant engine backpressure. This has a negative impact on fuel consumption, and in turn, on CO2emissions. In order to better understand the DPF impact on engine backpressure, a large amount of DPF pressure drop models have been published, especially over the last ten years. Even though each published model has slight variations, they were all derived from Konstandopoulos approach of the problem [1]. However, in 1998, Opris developed a unique pressure drop model [2,4], that is radically different from Konstandopoulos’ method. In the Opris model, Navier-Stockes equations were analytically solved in the context of a DPF. Along with Darcy’s law, and the 2D flow-field solution, a fundamental expression of the DPF pressure drop was obtained.

The purpose of this research was to study the pressure drop profiles and regeneration temperature characteristics of Silicon Carbide (SiC) filters with and without a copper-based additive in the fuel, and also to compare their performance with two cordierite traps designated as EX-47 and EX-80. The collection of the particulate matter inside the trap imposes a backpressure on the engine which requires a periodic oxidation or regeneration of the particulate matter. The presence of copper additive in the fuel reduces the particulate ignition temperature from approximately 500 to 375°C. Two SiC systems were tested during this research. The first system consisted of one 14 L SiC trap, while the second system, the dual trap system (DTS), consisted of two 12 L SiC traps mounted in parallel. The test matrix included two types of regeneration tests, controlled and uncontrolled and three levels of Cu fuel additive (0, 30, and 60 ppm).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pressure drop and regeneration characteristics of a silicon carbide (SiC) wall-flow diesel particulate filter. The performance of a 25 μm mean pore size SiC dual trap system (DTS) consisting of two 12 liter traps connected in parallel in conjunction with a copper (Cu) fuel additive was evaluated. A comparison between the 25 μm DTS and a 15 μm DTS was performed, in order to show the effect of trap material mean pore size on trap loading and regeneration behavior. A 1988 Cummins LTA 10-300 diesel engine was used to evaluate the performance of the 15 and 25 μm DTS. A mathematical model was developed to better understand the thermal and catalytic oxidation of the particulate matter. For all the trap steady-state loading tests, the engine was run at EPA mode 11 for 10 hours. Raw exhaust samples were taken upstream and downstream of the trap system in order to determine the DTS filtration efficiency.