Conductometric soot sensor for automotive exhausts: initial studies.

Area of Science:

• Automotive Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Diesel engines produce particulate matter, necessitating emission control technologies.
• Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) are widely employed to mitigate these emissions.
• Effective monitoring of DPF performance is essential for ensuring emission compliance and system longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a conductometric soot sensor for monitoring Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) efficiency.
• To assess the sensor's capability in detecting DPF malfunctions.
• To establish a correlation between sensor readings and DPF filtering performance.

Main Methods:

• Development of a conductometric soot sensor with a planar substrate, electrodes, and a heater.
• Testing the sensor at constant speed-load points in conjunction with a DPF.
• Monitoring sensor resistance and the time until soot percolation occurs.

Main Results:

• Sensor resistance and time to soot percolation were found to be reproducible at constant operating conditions.
• These parameters demonstrated a strong correlation with the DPF's filtering efficiency.
• The sensor successfully indicated changes in DPF performance.

Conclusions:

• The conductometric soot sensor is a viable tool for real-time DPF efficiency monitoring.
• The sensor setup can reliably detect DPF malfunctions.
• This technology offers a promising approach for enhancing diesel emission control systems.