Catalytic foam for the abatement of soot particulate and gaseous emissions from a gas-oil burner

A catalytic foam trap for the treatment of a gas-oil burner exhaust was prepared by deposition of a Cu/V/K/Cl catalyst on a ceramic foam. Catalytic performances were tested and compared with those of uncatalytic trap. The filtration efficiency changed from 50 to 70% for both traps by varying the burner operating conditions. The catalytic foam was continuously regenerated in the range of temperature (375-460°C) within that typical of diesel engine exhaust, burning an amount of soot in between 1-4.2 g/h depending on ?. The catalyst was able to reduce the HC emissions of 25.78% depending on ? and those of SO2 of 50%, while no substantial changes were observed on CO and NOx concentrations in the gas-oil burner emissions by the presence of the catalytic trap.