Scaling-up of the catalytic stacked wire mesh filters for the abatement of diesel soot

Abstract

This work is based on the development of a stacked AISI 304 stainless steel wire meshes structure with oxidizing and filtering capacity, where the Co and Ce oxide catalysts were deposited on the surface of the metallic fibres as a novel alternative to the current DOC – DPF system. The system was scaled up encouraged by the results obtained at lab scale, going from 16 mm filter diameter to 130 mm. The coated meshes were stacked inside a metallic case in order to conform a catalysed diesel particulate filter (CDPF). A Fiat Palio diesel engine mounted on a test bench was used to evaluate the filtering capacity of the scaled-up wire mesh cartridge. The systems developed were able to reduce particulate matter emitted by diesel engines below limits restrained by laws. The good activity, pressure drop, robustness, versatility and low cost of the designed structures, along with the good adhesion of the catalytic coating, makes them very promising for the development of catalytic filters.