Abstract: A particulate trap regeneration system is provided, which may include a particulate trap having a filter medium configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from an exhaust flow of an engine and a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap, as well as a radio frequency-based particulate loading monitoring system configured to determine an amount of particulate matter trapped by the filter medium. The particulate loading monitoring system may include at least one radio frequency transmitting probe configured to transmit radio frequency signals of predetermined magnitude and predetermined frequency toward the filter medium and at least one radio frequency receiving probe configured to receive and measure the magnitude of received radio frequency signals that pass through the filter medium.

Abstract: A particulate sensing system for a particulate trap including a radio frequency transmit circuit and a radio frequency receive circuit is disclosed. The transmit circuit may include a wideband signal generator configured to produce a wideband radio frequency signal and a wideband radio frequency amplifier, coupled to the wideband signal generator. The transmit circuit may include a transmit antenna coupled to the wideband radio frequency amplifier and configured to propagate the wideband radio frequency signal through a filter medium. The receive circuit may include a receive antenna configured to receive the wideband radio frequency signal that has been propagated through the filter medium, and a bandpass filter coupled to the receive antenna and configured to limit a frequency range of the received wideband radio frequency signal.