Fuel-Borne Ash Coating for Exhaust Particulate Filter Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current gasoline engine exhaust particulate filters face challenges in achieving high filtration efficiency without increasing manufacturing costs or causing excessive back pressure, particularly with integrated membrane layers and high-porosity substrates with surface wash coats.

Innovation Solution

Doping fuel with an ash-producing additive and combusting it to produce an ash coating on the exhaust particulate filter, which increases filtration efficiency without the need for costly membranes or high wash coat amounts, while maintaining low back pressure levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If an integrated membrane layer is used on the particulate filter substrate, then filtration efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by depositing a wash coat on the filter substrate before operation, and then using fuel-borne additives to build up the ash coating layer during initial engine operation. This preliminary preparation enables the filter to achieve high filtration efficiency without requiring an expensive integrated membrane layer, thus resolving the contradiction between filtration efficiency and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the composition parameters of the filter surface by using fuel-borne additives (such as ZDDP, calcium sulfonate, magnesium sulfonate) that deposit ash during combustion. This transforms the filter surface from a clean substrate to an ash-coated surface with enhanced filtration efficiency, providing a cost-effective alternative to membrane-integrated filters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If a high-porosity filter substrate with surface wash coat is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but filtration efficiency only marginally increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidfiltration efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the surface composition parameters by introducing fuel-borne additives that deposit ash during combustion. This transforms the wash coat from a simple ceramic coating to an ash-rich coating with significantly enhanced filtration efficiency, enabling high-efficiency filtration on cost-effective high-porosity substrates without membranes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs continuous fuel-borne additive delivery during engine operation to progressively build up the ash coating layer on the filter surface. This continuous deposition process ensures sustained enhancement of filtration efficiency over time, maintaining high performance on economical high-porosity substrates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Manufacturing precision

If heavy wash coat loading is applied to increase filtration efficiency, then filtration efficiency is improved, but filtration back pressure increases drastically

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidfiltration back pressure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the surface coating by using fuel-borne additives that form ash coatings with different properties than traditional wash coats. This ash coating provides high filtration efficiency with lower density and better permeability, thus maintaining low back pressure while achieving high filtration efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite surface structure combining the base wash coat with ash deposits from fuel additives. This composite ash-coated surface achieves superior filtration efficiency compared to wash coat alone, while the ash coating's porous structure maintains low back pressure, resolving the contradiction between efficiency and pressure drop.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The ash coating significantly enhances filtration efficiency at mileage levels below 3000 miles, meeting emission standards with reduced back pressure and lower costs compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

combusting the doped fuel to produce ash

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

the ash deposits as an ash coating on the new exhaust particulate filter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeposition: Deposition (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS10287938B2System and methods for reducing particulate matter emissions

Publication Date: 2019.05.14 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A method for a vehicle comprises responsive to installation of a new exhaust particulate filter, doping fuel with an ash-producing additive, and combusting the doped fuel to produce ash, wherein the ash deposits as an ash coating on the new exhaust particulate filter. In this way, a filtration efficiency of an exhaust particulate filter can be increased quickly as compared to a filter with no deposited ash coating, inexpensively as compared to conventional methods using membranes, and with a lower back pressure drop as compared to conventional methods.