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Catalyzed diesel particulate filter systems have now been successfully introduced and implemented in Europe. In the meantime, automotive manufacturers are working on the second generation of catalytic filters with the aim of reducing the overall system costs. In particular savings in precious metal costs are focussed by the use of highly-active catalysts which are stable at high temperatures. A possible approach here is the implementation of oxidation catalysts and catalytically coated filters based on platinum and palladium. In this context, the functio-nality of platinum/palladium-based, catalyzed filters was investigated by numerous measurements on a synthetic gas and an engine bench as well as by vehicle tests on a roller dynamometer. The HC/CO oxidation activity, the poisoning resistance towards sulfur and the desulfurization capability, the exothermic behaviour due to the conversion of subsequently injected hydrocarbons and the NO2 formation potential were examined in detail.

The regeneration of a loaded particulate filter is one of the biggest challenges in the development of filter systems. The reason is under certain conditions the exhaust gas temperature does not reach the required minimum regeneration temperature for a longer period of time. This paper describes results achieved with a catalytically coated filter alone and in combination with engine parameters, which are used to increase the exhaust gas temperature. The activity of the catalytically coated filter was evaluated by using the well-known balance temperature test. The soot-burning rate was determined at different exhaust gas temperatures. The investigated engine control parameters included intake air throttling and a control of lambda. A special low-temperature transient test was designed to evaluate the regeneration efficiency of the catalytically coated filter and the described engine control parameters under more realistic conditions.

Several diesel passenger car manufacturers in the European Union recently announced the future use of catalyzed diesel particulate filter systems on their vehicles. The major technical challenge is the periodical regeneration of the filters loaded with the retained diesel particulates. In order to promote filter regeneration, catalytic activation of the accumulated soot is advantageous. Therefore, the first serial application of diesel particulate filter systems uses catalytically active fuel additives. These systems were introduced about four years ago. Since that time, other systems, using a dedicated catalytically activated diesel particulate filter combined with an upstream diesel oxidation catalyst, have been introduced as well. This allows filter regeneration without extra fuel additives. In the past, adding catalytic coating to a filter substrate has often resulted in increasing the pressure drop over the filter to an unacceptable level.