Regeneration Performance of a Catalyzed Versus a Non-Catalyzed Ceramic Membrane Diesel Particulate Trap

The regeneration characteristics of a membrane containing ceramic foam diesel particulate filter are discussed. Two regeneration methods were employed to evaluate four different trap systems. A manually operated burner system was used to determine thermal durability while an exhaust throttling system was used to evaluate a complete system. With the exhaust throttling system, two non-catalyzed traps, a non-catalyzed trap with the engine operating on a copper fuel additive, and a base metal catalyzed trap were evaluated. The goal of the catalyst system evaluated was the simultaneous reduction of both particulates and NOx emissions. Diesel particulate emissions were monitored and collected for this study in a test cell at the Southwest Research Institute using repetitive EPA heavy duty transient cycles. A 1989 Caterpillar 3406B PEEC engine was used in the majority of the tests conducted.