CFD Simulations of Transient Soot Trapping and Regeneration in a Diesel Particulate Filter

A transient, 3-dimensional, continuum CFD model of soot loading and regeneration has been developed for a single channel unit in a diesel particulate filter. The detailed model is used to predict the soot loading, velocity, temperature, and species distributions in both the air channels and porous walls of the filter. The simulation is performed in two phases: loading and regeneration. In the loading phase, soot profiles are estimated for a clean filter using a steady-state simulation. In the second phase, transient regeneration is modeled using a single-step, irreversible heterogeneous mechanism is used to predict the formation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide products during the regeneration process, incorporating a fractionization scheme. Reaction rates are predicted via an Arrhenius rate law, but may be tempered due to diffusion-limiting conditions in the porous reaction zone. Simulations are performed with a commercial CFD package and user-defined functions. This model may be used to make predictions of heat-up behavior and to relate material property data to experimental observations.