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Particle Number (PN) regulation was firstly introduced for European light-duty diesel vehicles back in 2011[1]. Since then, PN regulation has been and is being expanded to heavy-duty diesel vehicles and non-road diesel machineries. PN regulation will also be expanded to China and India around 2020 or later. Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is significant factor for the above-mentioned PN regulation. This filter technology is to be continuously evolved for the near future tighter PN regulation. Generally, PN filtration performance test for filter technology development is carried out with chassis dynamometer, engine dynamometer or simulator [2]. This paper describes a simplified and relatively quicker alternative PN filtration performance test method for accelerating filter technology development compared to the current test method.

Back pressure of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) varies with accumulation of soot and/or ash. Soot can be cleaned in a high temperature oxidation (regeneration) process. But ash which is incombustible particulate matter derived from lubricant oil, engine wear, etc. cannot be cleaned from DPF without mechanical ash removal process and influences the back pressure perpetually. Design and control of DPF involving variation of the back pressure with ash accumulation will provide further improvement of fuel consumption and reliable operation in extended vehicle life time. Nevertheless, empirical investigations concerning ash accumulation are few because of the long testing time due to the slow accumulation rate, i.e. 0.5 - 2mg/mile [19]. In this investigation, four different designs of Cordierite (Cd) DPF were subjected to an accelerated ash accumulation test which is utilizing artificial ash powder.

To evaluate various Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) efficiently, accelerated tests are one of effective methods. In this study, a simulator composed by diesel fuel burners is proposed for fundamental DPF evaluations. Firstly particle size distribution measurement, chemical composition and thermal analysis were carried out for the particulate matter (PM) generated by the simulator with several combustion conditions. The PMs generated by specific conditions showed similar characteristics to PMs of a diesel engine. Through these investigations, mechanism of PM particle growth was discussed. Secondly diversified DPFs were subjected to accelerated pressure drop and filtration efficiency tests. Features of DPFs could be clarified by the accelerated tests. In addition, the correlation between DPF pressure drop performance and PM characteristics was discussed. Thirdly regeneration performance of the simulator's PM was investigated.