Some Empirical Observations on Diesel Particulate Filter Modeling and Comparison Between Simulations and Experiments

Comparisons between 1D simulations and experiments on a mini scale SiC filter are presented.

First of all, experiments with regeneration for different loading mass and soot composition enabled us to derive an improved pressure drop correlation. The assumption of constant particulate layer permeability proves unable to predict the influence of the gas temperature on the pressure drop. This discrepancy seems to be linked to the high Knudsen number of the flow in the particulate layer. A new correlation is proposed. This correlation contains four adjustable constants which have been determined on a single experimental run. Without modifying these constants, other cases have been correctly simulated. Obviously, more work is needed to substantiate this approach.

In a second step, regenerations with and without additive (Cerium) for two different soot compositions have been simulated and compared with experimental results. Soluble Organic Fraction vaporization has to be taken into account to obtain the right soot mass when regeneration begins. The experimental trend is well captured by numerical simulations.