Three-Dimensional Catalytic Regeneration Modeling of SiC Diesel Particulate Filters

Increasingly stringent diesel particulate emissions standards have reestablished international interest in diesel filters, whose first series application dates back to 1985. Modern diesel engine technology, with computerized engine management systems and advanced, common rail injection systems, needs to be fully exploited to support efficient and durable diesel filter systems with catalytic aids, as standard equipment in passenger cars. Efficient system and components’ optimization requires the use of mathematical models of diesel filter performance. The three-dimensional model for the regeneration of the diesel particulate filter presented in this paper has been developed as an engineering tool for the detailed design optimization of SiC diesel filters of modular structure. The 3-D modeling is achieved by interfacing an existing 1-D model to commercial finite element method software for the computation of the 3-D temperature field within the whole filter assembly, including the adhesive of the filter blocks, the insulation mat, and the metal canning. The 3-D model is applied to real-world component optimization studies of diesel filter systems.