Date of Graduation

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

Mridul Gautam

Abstract

With modern diesel engines producing smaller and lighter particulate mass output, the performance of in-line filtering, used to determine emissions of particulate matter (PM), has become less understood. Several factors including filter characteristics, filter holder geometry, exhaust dilution, filter face temperature, and secondary dilution characteristics need to be investigated. This study investigates factors influenced by filter holder geometry. In the past, many loosely designed filter holders were applied to emissions testing. Recently, 40 CFR Part 1065 recommended a standard filter holder design to be used in all emissions tests. However, it is not known if this design is optimal. To determine an optimal design, a parametric investigation into the effects of filter holder geometry on the collection of diesel exhaust PM was performed. Modeling was performed, in part, through the use of Fluent Version 5/6. By using this model, filter characteristics (efficiency and pressure drop) were determined as a function of loading, for each of three filter holder designs. Alternative designs were then compared to detect any performance differences between them. The model was verified experimentally by measuring the total pressure drop experienced by filters of known loading and comparing the results to model output. The model output is indistinguishable from experimental data for most of the loading range considered. This allowed an assessment of acceptable model accuracy with respect to other physical parameters. Ultimately, the trends observed from this model lead to the conclusion that filter holder geometry has no detectable influence on PM captured on the filter.

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