MODELING THE REGENERATION OF FIBROUS PARTICULATE FILTER

Diesel particulate filters (traps) are effective devices in controlling diesel engine particulate emissions. Mathematical modelling can be a useful design tool in assessing the performance of particulate filters. A generalized model describing oxidation, heat and mass transfer in a porous filter substrate is developed and applied to the thermal regeneration of diesel particulate traps. In this paper, a set of dimensionless model equations are used to decrease the number of parameters and for better analysis of the regeneration process. A FORTRAN program is coded using an IMSL subroutine to solve these partial differential equations. A parametric study of the regeneration process is carried out in order to predict safe and effective regeneration conditions. Simulation results demonstrate the effects of exhaust oxygen concentration and initial trap particulate loading on the regeneration time, the mass of particulate in the trap, and the temperature of the gas and solid (particulate) interface