METHOD FOR OPERATING A REGENERATIVE DIESEL ENGINE PARTICULATE TRAP

摘要

A method is disclosed of regenerating a filter used to extract and collect particulates from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine. When the pressure of the exhaust gas, measured at a station immediately upstream from the filter, exceeds a predetermined variable maximum allowable pressure, the following three steps are initiated. (1) The exhaust gas is bypassed around the filter and a flow of combustion supporting gas is conveyed to and through the filter at a low flow rate; (2) the temperature of the combustion supporting gas is raised to a level effective to ignite at least a leading portion of the particulate collection in the filter; and (3) the temperature of the heated gases exiting from the filter is measured, and when such temperature exceeds a predetermined level, the flow of heated gas is shut off and the regeneration cycle terminated.