The paper includes the design, installation and testing of two different diesel particulate filter systems for light-duty diesel engines. The systems were installed on mining vehicles at Kidd Creek Mine in
The first system utilizes a newly developed pleated-media filtration element. The filter must be cleaned off-board or replaced with a new unit after a duty cycle.
The second system applies a ceramic wall-flow monolith. The filter is catalyzed and self-regenerates during high temperature operation periods. Each system includes a diesel catalytic converter which diminishes both the gaseous emissions and the odour of diesel exhaust.
Advantages and limitations of the applied technologies are compared in the paper. The results of the performance tests, both bench and harsh underground operations, are discussed.
In the field of diesel technology the emphasis is on the reduction of diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions. These emissions are even more important as the new air quality regulations in respect of DPM level are expected to be implemented.
Several diesel exhaust filtration technologies have been developed, so far none of them being perfect. The purpose of this paper is to analyze diesel filter systems available for engines of smaller size, in particular, those addressed for underground mining auxiliary vehicles. The first system with a newly developed pleated-media filter is suitable for vehicles with an exhaust temperature of about 200 deg.C. It has been installed on a Toyota Land Cruiser serving as a mine supervisor’s underground transportation. As such, the vehicle does not have a repeatable duty cycle. The exhaust temperature was recorded for several hours of operation. The results of threcordings indicated that the engine was running cool. There were, however, moments with temperature peaks reaching 300 deg.C.