NOVEL DIESEL PARTICULATE CATALYTIC OXIDATION TRAP

REDUCTIONS IN PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM MOST CURRENT DIESELENGINES WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET FUTURE STANDARDS FOR DIESELENGINE POWERED CARS, TRUCKS AND BUSES. THE STRINGENT EMISSIONS STANDARDS IN 1987 WERE FORECAST TO BE ACHIEVABLE ONLY BY LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLES AND THE STANDARDS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DEFERRED TO 1991 AND 1995. FROM THE DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATIONS ON DIESEL VEHICLE PARTICULATE EMISSIONS, IT IS APPARENT THAT ACCEPTABLE COMMERCIAL OPTIONS DO NOT PRESENTLY EXIST. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE PROOFOF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF A NOVEL DIESEL PARTICULATE CATALYTIC OXIDATION TRAP. THE CLASS OF CATALYSTS TO BE EMPLOYED HAS BEEN DEVELOPED UNDER PREVIOUS NSF PROGRAMS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY ACTIVE OXIDATION CATALYST AND IS PARTICULARLY ADAPTABLE TO EXISTING PARTICULATE TRAP DEVICES. IT IS LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THERMAL STRESSES THAN RIVAL DEVICES AND IS UNAFFECTED BY TYPICAL CATALYST POISONS. ITS PRODUCTION COST IS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN COMPETITIVE DEVICES, AND OFFERS A LOW COST, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SOLUTION TO THE DIESEL PARTICULATE CONTROL PROBLEM.