Filtration efficiency and pressure drop of miniature diesel particulate filters

A method was developed to evaluate miniature diesel particulate filters (DPFs). To validate the performance of the instrumentation and test apparatus, measurements were made using silicon carbide (SiC) and cordierite miniature filters with representative microstructures. Filtration efficiency (FE), the most penetrating particle size (MPPS), and pressure drop were measured for catalyzed and uncatalyzed advanced ceramic material (ACM) acicular mullite and representative commercial filters to determine the impact of substrate morphology, the formation of a soot cake, and the presence of a catalyst coating on filtration properties. FE measurements demonstrated that filter geometry and microstructure significantly influence initial filtration performance. ACM filters had high initial FE and the MPPS near ∼200 nm. Reduction of the ACM pore size in the absence of a reduction in porosity increased initial FE evenmore, but its influence on MPPS was not resolvable. The presence of a catalyst and washcoat on the ACM increased the pressure drop but increased initial FE and reduced MPPS to <100 nm. The addition of a washcoat allowed the rapid buildup of a soot cake, which resulted in a more rapid rate of increase in FE compared to uncatalyzed ACM. The similarity in the ACM and cordierite soot cakes after a long loading time is consistent with theory that suggests the formation of the soot cake depends primarily on the Péclet (Pe) number, which is influenced only by macroscopic filter geometry and prevailing test conditions.