Abstract: In-line systems for and methods of measuring the moisture content of ceramic material within an extrusion system used to form ceramic articles are disclosed. One method includes arranging, relative to the extrusion system, at least one radio-frequency (RF) sensor system having an RF antenna, and generating through the RF antenna an RF field that resides substantially entirely within the ceramic material. The method also includes, in response to the RF field interacting with the ceramic material, generating in the RF sensor system a signal representative of a raw moisture-content measurement of the ceramic material. The method also includes generating calibration data by performing RF moisture-content measurements on samples of the ceramic material having different known moisture contents, and establishing a calibrated moisture-content measurement using the raw moisture-content signal and the calibration data. Both contact and non-contact systems and measurement methods are described.

Abstract: Porous ceramic diesel particulate filters are regenerated to combust accumulated carbon particulates trapped therein through a controlled regeneration process wherein heat is input to the filter at a ramped or staged heating rate below that rate at which the particulate combustion process would proceed so rapidly and extensively that filter temperatures would be raised to filter-damaging levels.

Abstract: Porous ceramic diesel particulate filters are regenerated to combust accumulated carbon particulates trapped therein through a controlled regeneration process wherein heat is input to the filter at a ramped or staged heating rate below that rate at which the particulate combustion process would proceed so rapidly and extensively that filter temperatures would be raised to filter-damaging levels.

Abstract: Aluminum titanate precursor batch compositions comprising a recycled aluminum titanate component, at least a portion of the recycled aluminum titanate component being comprised of a recycled pre-reacted aluminum titanate composition or alternatively of an un-reacted green aluminum titanate precursor composition, and methods for producing aluminum titanate ceramic articles utilizing the inventive batch compositions.