Nonuniform Oxidation Behavior of Loaded Gasoline Particulate Filters

The results of an experimental study on the oxidation behavior of loaded gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) from a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine are reported. PM was loaded on uncatalyzed cordierite GPF mini-cores by exposure to exhaust from a light-duty GDI engine operating during a rich acceleration condition on four fuels: 100% gasoline (E0); a 30% blend of ethanol in gasoline (E30); a 24% blend of isobutanol in gasoline (iBu24); or a 48% blend of isobutanol in gasoline (iBu48). The oxidative reactivities of these four types of PM were investigated as a function of temperature. Compared with E0, particulate matter (PM) from the ethanol blend showed a significant shift to lower temperature activity, whereas both isobutanol blends produced PM requiring higher temperatures to achieve complete oxidation. The oxidation kinetics of the E0 and E30 PM were studied in more detail. These cores were used in pulsed-oxidation studies to explore the oxidation kinetics of the PM throughout a stepwise burnout (i.e., regeneration). The results suggest that the reactivity of PM on GPF cores is sensitive to both its environmental history and the type of fuel being used. A unique neutron-imaging study was also performed on E0 and E30-loaded GPF cores to study how the PM layer thicknesses change during a stepwise burnout.