Preliminary Particulate Trap Tests on a 2-Stroke Diesel Bus Engine

Diesel soot or smoke has been regarded as a nuisance pollutant and potential health hazard, especially in congested urban areas where diesel buses operate. Exhaust emissions from a DDAD 6V-71 coach engine and a similarly-powered 1980 GMC RTS-II coach, fitted with a non-catalyzed particulate trap, were characterized over various Federal Test Procedures for heavy-duty engines, including an experimental test cycle for buses. Regeneration was accomplished using an in-line burner in the exhaust to raise the engines' idle exhaust gas temperature from 120 to 700°C. Trap testing included approximately 15 hours of engine operation and 100 miles of bus operation. Particulate emissions were reduced by an average of 79 percent and smoke emissions were nil using the trap. The effect of the trap on regulated and other unregulated emissions was generally minimal.