Performance of Diesel Particulate Filter Using Metal Foam Combined with Ceramic Honeycomb Substrate

Abstract

Although diesel engines have higher thermal and volumetric efficiencies, sufficiently large amount of particulate matter (PM) including soot is emitted during its exhaust stage. Thus, a need is raised for implementation of the diesel particulate filters (DPFs) in diesel engines as it has become the customary technology for the control of soot aerosol emissions. An analytical study of the performance of a circular ceramic honeycomb substrate (cordierite) diesel particulate filter with and without the use of metal foam filter at both ends as well as variation in channel length of ceramic substrate is reported to observe the change in the amount of soot particles trapped and pressure drop along its axis. The drop in pressure and filtration process depends on the filter pore structure properties such as permeability, porosity (40%) as well as channel length (60 and 100 mm). For each case, the depositions of soot through the filter were calculated by weighing approach, optimum drop in pressure using water U-tube manometer, and permeability of material by adopting graphical approach. However, after certain time, it is observed that due to increase in the accumulation of soot inside the diesel particulate filter there is a rise in pressure loss.