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The removal of soot in the lubricating sumps of diesel engines is a formidable task, further compounded by the introduction of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). Efficient removal of soot would help ensure engine durability and engine performance while increasing oil drain intervals thus reducing maintenance costs. This paper describes a method by which soot can be separated from the oil with the application of an electric field by utilizing the small electrical charge on the soot particles. The electric field is applied to a network of electrodes that support an open porous network which stabilizes the weakly bound soot cake. Significantly higher filtration efficiency was achieved as compared to mechanical particulate filtration and centrifugation. The paper also discusses the controlling conditions while detailing the performance testing at both a bench scale level and pilot scale level.

The molecular filtration of sulfur components in ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel is described. A comprehensive screening of potential sulfur removal chemistries has yielded a sorbent which has the capability to efficiently remove organo-sulfur components in ULSD fuel. This sorbent has been used to treat ULSD fuel on a heavy duty engine equipped with NOx adsorber after-treatment technology and has been shown to lengthen the time between desulfation steps for the NOx adsorber. The fuel properties, cetane number and aromatics content, etc., have not been changed by the removal of the sulfur in the fuel with the exception of the lubricity which is reduced.