Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Mridul Gautam.

Abstract

Diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions have created considerable concern because PM is a suspected carcinogen. Up to this point, improved engine and fuel system design and control schemes have made the use of diesel particulate aftertreatment systems unnecessary for most applications in the United States, but the continued decreasing trend of emissions regulations may necessitate the use of PM filters for many applications.;Many methods have been developed to generate a controlled, reliable regeneration event within PM filters, none of which have been proven to be completely successful. These methods include exhaust throttling, fuel catalysis, filter catalysis, electrical heating, and burner systems. One very unique regeneration method incorporates the use of microwave energy to selectively heat the particulate matter within diesel PM filters. In the research presented in this work, a microwave regeneration system was designed, fabricated, developed, and tested. Due to the lack of basic regeneration performance data from the previously published microwave regeneration studies, this research program focused on the control of four of the most important regeneration parameters: initial collected soot mass, preheating time, combustion airflow, and combustion air temperature. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

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