Abstract: An electronic dust collector for collecting and removing dust from an air stream uses a corona discharge between a discharge electrode and a dust collection electrode to ionize the dust particles which are then attracted to, and held, on the surface of the negatively charged dust collection electrode. The surface of the dust collection electrode includes a catalyst layer for oxidizing and decomposing the deposited dust thereon. A heater is included in the dust collection electrode for periodic self-cleaning. The application of electricity to the heater is controlled to produce slow moderate temperature elevation during the self-cleaning of the dust collection electrode. This permits stepwise oxidation and decomposition of the dust deposited on the dust collection electrode, thereby cleaning the dust collection electrode by removing the dust on the dust collection electrode while suppressing generation of smoke and odor which would otherwise occur by burning of the dust.

Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus with an air cleaning function. In the apparatus, an electric dust collector is provided in the air passage on the rear side of a heat exchanger. A heater for self-cleaning is combined with a dust collector electrode of the electric dust collector. A heat shield plate is combined with the heater. Air flow resistance is not increased although the dust collector electrode is plane in shape. An increase of air flow resistance caused by the use of the heat shield plate is also suppressed.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifier, having three or more filter units parallel, wherein if at least one filter unit fails during its generation, it is compensated by the cyclic operation of the maining filter units so that the total function of the exhaust gas purifier is practically maintained. Electric heaters 14 are provided for regenerating individual filter units 3, and valves 4 are placed either at the entrances or at the exits of the units 3. While filter units 3 with opened valves 4 trap particulates, at least one filter unit 3's valve 4 is closed to send an electric current into the heater 14 for regenerating the filter unit 3. If the detected current is beyond a predetermined range, the current supply is shut off with the valve 4 still kept closed, and another filter unit 3 is regenerated in the same manner.

Abstract: An exhaust gas filter having a ceramic filter body is configured such that a specific heat h (cal/g.degree. C.) of ceramic powder constituting the body, and a bulk specific gravity d (g/cm.sup.3) of the filter, satisfy the relation 0.12 (cal/cm.sup.3 .degree. C.).ltoreq.h.times.d.ltoreq.0.19 (cal/cm.sup.3 .degree. C.). The ceramic filter body includes a plurality of cells which extend axially to open at opposite ends of the body. One of the opposite axial ends of each of the cells is closed by a filler in such a manner that the closed ends of the cells and the open ends of the cells are arranged in an alternating configuration. The filter traps particulates in the exhaust gas, and the trapped particulates are removed by regeneration combustion of the filter. The filter exhibits excellent durability, thus preventing the formation of cracks in the surface and interior of the filter. When the filter is mounted on a diesel engine, the diesel engine advantageously does not discharge black smoke.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifier which can efficiently eliminate particulate matter discharged from an engine, and which has a long life. The purifier is attached to a discharge passage of an engine, and includes a filter constituted by a plurality of cylindrical filter elements each formed of porous metal. The filter elements are different in diameter from each other, and disposed concentrically and assembled radially apart from each other through a space. The filter has an exhaust gas inlet passage side end and an exhaust gas outlet passage side end, the exhaust gas inlet side end being closed, by a shielding plate, up to the cylindrical filter element of the largest outer diameter, and the exhaust gas outlet passage side end being closed at a portion between an outer circumferential case and the cylindrical filter element of the smallest outer diameter.

Abstract: The present invention is a filtering unit providing after-treatment of the gases emited in the exhaust of Diesel engines, comprising a filtering set which includes at least one filtering element (11, 12, 13); at least one resistive element (3) which heats a zone (121, 122, 123) of one of the at least one filtering element; at least one detection device which determines fouling of the filtering set (1); a control (5), responsive to the at least one detection device, which controls independently each of the resistive elements, according to the fouling of the filtering set and electrical power available to the at least one resistive element. The resistive elements (3) can be each wound around a zone of a filtering element. The invention further relates to the associated process.

Abstract: Two filters provided in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine are used to simultaneously collect particulate in an exhaust gas and are alternately refreshed. When a refresh timing of the filters comes, a determination is made as to which of the filters has a larger accumulation amount. The plurality of filters are refreshed in an order from the filter determined as having the larger accumulation amount, and variation of accumulation amounts of particulate of the filters is corrected, so that both of the filters are refreshed within a tolerable temperature range.

Abstract: An exhaust emissions filtering system for filtering of particulate matter from a flow of exhaust. The exhaust emissions filtering system comprises an ultrasonic transducer unit, an ultraviolet light unit, a magnetic particle filter unit, and an electronic control unit. The exhaust emissions filtering system removes particulates from exhaust emissions by fracturing the particles with the ultrasonic transducer unit, further breaking down the fractured particles with a high-intensity ultraviolet light, and removing the particles with an electrostatic mesh that is located in the magnetic particle filter unit.

Abstract: A self-cleaning particle filter for Diesel engines is provided. The filter includes a filter housing, control circuitry, a removable filter sandwich and independent power source. The removable filter sandwich includes a number of sintered metal strips sewn and positioned between two sheets of inorganic material to provide a filter sandwich. Current is delivered to the metal filter strips to efficiently burn off carbon, lube oil and unburned fuel particulates which have been filtered from exhaust gas. The filter sandwich is formed into a cylindrical configuration and mounted onto a perforated metal carrier tube for receiving and filtering exhaust gas.

Abstract: A particulate trap for use in a diesel engine can efficiently trap particulates contained in exhaust gas with low pressure drop and can burn collected particulates for regeneration with less power consumption. A filter element having a built-in electric heater is mounted in a case provided in the exhaust line of a diesel engine. The filter has two mutually opposed surfaces between which is mounted the electric heater. With this arrangement, it is possible to increase the filtration area and also the heating efficiency.

Abstract: An object is to provide a particulate trap for a diesel engine which can efficiently burn particulates trapped by a filter while supplying oxygen by natural convection so that the filter can be regenerated in a short time while minimizing the power consumed by the heater. To accomplish this purpose, end plates 6, 7 and brackets 9 may be welded to compressed portions 4a, 5a of an inner cylinder 4 and an outer cylinder 5; heater-supporting ceramic insulators are mounted, spaced from each other, on a heater 14; and/or an ambient air introducing passage 36 is provided to extend from outside the case into a multiple-cylinder filter provided in the case.

Abstract: Disclosed is a counterflow type filter trap system for filtering particulate matters from engine exhaust gases. A controller for receiving and sending information signals, is included. A metal fiber filter for capturing particulate matters included in the engine exhaust gases is provided. A back pressure sensor for sensing pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the metal fiber filter, is formed. A compressed air supplying portion is formed for injecting a compressed air in the opposite direction to the flow of the exhaust gases to separate the captured particulate matters from the metal fiber filter. A particulate matters collecting box for collecting the separated particulate matters and a guiding valve for guiding the separated particulate matters are provided. The life of the filter is lengthened and the apparatus has a simple structure. The filtering efficiency of the exhausted fumes is very high.

Abstract: A filter frame and media capable of withstanding repeated heating to high temperatures in an oxidizing environment, and a method of cleaning the same for indefinite use in a method of operating industrial paint booths. Progressive density, heat resistant, and preferably metal media paint booth filters are provided for replacement of existing filters in industrial paint booths. The filters are structurally resistant to cyclic heating to high temperature in an oxidizing bake-off oven where the paint residue accumulated on the filters is reduced to ash. After cooling, the ash is removed, and the filters returned to service, and the cycle is repeated. The filter comprises a frame section and a mesh media section which has a plurality of mesh portions. The mesh portions are preferably arranged in a series M.sub.1, M.sub.n-1, M.sub.n, wherein n is a positive integer of 4 or more, that are sized with the free face area A.sub.

Abstract: In a purifier for removing particulates from an exhaust gas, a pressure difference, and a flow rate of the air supplied to the filter element is adjusted in such a manner that a difference between a pressure difference of an air across a substantially invariable air flow resistance before the air reaches a filter element collecting and storing the particulates therein and a reference pressure difference is a predetermined value, while heating the air.

Abstract: A system which reduces the transmission of noxious fumes into the surrounding air during the application of a heated liquid roofing product on a roof. A mobile tanker or kettle contains a supply of the heated liquid. The air space within the tanker or vessel above the liquid product communicates with a mobile filtration unit by a first duct. A rooftop carrier for the liquid product has a fume collection hood which communicates with the filtration unit by a second duct. A blower in the filtration unit creates negative pressure which draws the noxious fumes from the tanker or vessel and carrier through the ducts and into and through the filtration unit. The filtration unit has a series of airtight chambers mounted on a mobile truck bed, each containing a different type of filtering medium to remove various components of the noxious fumes as the fumes move through the filtration unit.

Abstract: A filter regenerating mechanism for a reverse-cleaning regenerative exhaust black smoke removing system, wherein the air injection quantity is reduced, and the filter regenerating effect is improved to reduce a pressure loss due to the filter. Each time exhaust gas is passed through the filter for a predetermined period of time, a solenoid valve is opened for an extremely short period of time, thereby allowing compressed air to be supplied into an exhaust chamber through the solenoid valve, an air nozzle, etc. so as to flow in a direction reverse to the flow direction of exhaust gas. Particulates deposited on the wall surfaces of first passages in the filter are removed therefrom by the action of pressure waves and cleaning air stream produced upon opening of the solenoid valve, and gravitationally drop into a hopper where they are incinerated. A perforated plate having a large number of small holes is disposed between the air nozzle and an outlet surface of the filter.

Abstract: A regenerable gas filter cartridge for filtering particles from an exhaust gas includes a hollow tube having a perforated portion and an open end portion. The perforated portion has a diameter larger than the diameter of the open end portion. A filtering element is disposed on the hollow tube, and the filtering element extends over the larger diameter of the perforated portion and the smaller diameter of the open end portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exhaust gas purifier for collecting particulates with fiber filters while reducing NO.sub.x by the action of granulated materials disposed on the outer sides of the fiber filters and having an NO.sub.x -reducing action. In this exhaust gas purifier, the fiber filters for collecting particulates contained in exhaust gas are constituted of a randomly laminated nonwoven fabric, and electric wire nets are disposed on the inner sides of the fiber filters. The granulated materials made of Ba.sub.3 Y.sub.4 O.sub.9, BaLa.sub.2 O.sub.4 or Ba.sub.2 In.sub.2 O.sub.5 having an NO.sub.x -reducing action are filled in a large numbers of cells of porous members disposed on the downstream sides of the fiber filters.

Abstract: A device for the treatment of exhaust gases such as a catalytic converter, a diesel particulate trap and the like, includes a housing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at its opposite end through which exhaust gases flow; a structure resiliently mounted within the housing, the structure having an outer surface and an inlet end surface at one end in communication with the inlet of the housing and an outlet end surface at an opposite end in communication with the outlet of the housing; and mounting element, disposed between the structure and the housing, for selectively exerting substantially stable mounting pressure against the housing and the structure over a temperature range of from about 20.degree. C. to at least about 1200.degree. C., wherein the mounting element is a flexible mounting mat including an integral, substantially non-expanding sheet comprising ceramic fibers, wherein the fibers are substantially shot free. The mat has flexible, structural integrity.

Abstract: A particulate trap which can be used in a medium- or small-sized diesel engine car includes concentrically arranged cylindrical filters made of a three-dimensionally reticulated metallic porous material and a plate-shaped electric heater for regeneration having an output of 400 W or less, and is provided between the filters and spaced therefrom. The filters have a relatively shortened length. The heating amount of the filters by the heater is 0.60 W/cm.sup.2 or more. The filter has an increased thickness to make up for reduction in the filter surface area due to the shortened filter length. With this arrangement, it is possible to achieve a high regeneration efficiency with a low-output heater while suppressing heat loss.

Abstract: This diesel particulate filter comprises of a composite filter plate composed of thin filter plates formed out of ceramic fiber, and a latticed heating wire, and metal nets. The composite filter plate is bent into a bellows-like structure so as to increase a cross-sectional area of an exhaust gas passage. The latticed heating wire is formed to a current self-controlling type heating wire out of a material containing Ni as a main component the resistance value of which increases as the temperature rises. The particulates collected by the thin filter plates are burnt by supplying an electric current to the latticed heating wire. When a high-temperature region occurs on the thin filter plates, the level of an electric current flowing to the portion of the latticed heating wire which corresponds to the same region is reduced. Consequently, all the regions of the thin filter plates are heated at a uniform temperature, and the melting and breakage of the thin filter plates do not occur.

Abstract: A device for purifying a workstream of contaminants and method of making. One device is made of an inorganic monolithic porous particulate filter and a continuous uninterrupted coating of activated carbon impregnated into the pores of the filter. Preferably the filter has inlet and outlet faces, and a multiplicity of cells separated by porous walls and extending longitudinally and mutually parallel therethrough from inlet to outlet end, a portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the inlet end face, and the remaining portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the outlet end face of the device. Another device can be made entirely of activated carbon having the multicellular structure. A workstream containing contaminants is passed through the device to cause retention of the contaminants. The device can have electrically conducting mechanism for conducting electric current therethrough for removal of the contaminants and regeneration of the device.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying filter for removing carbon particles from combustion exhaust gas, having a honeycomb structural body, flow passages that are sealed alternately at both ends by means of sealing portions to form checkerboard patterns. In the exhaust gas purifying filter according to the invention, lengths of the sealing portions formed in the flow passages of the honeycomb structural body vary randomly. An exhaust gas purifying apparatus utilizing the exhaust gas purifying filter according to the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrically regenerable diesel particulate filter cartridge and filter comprising an electrically, variably resistive sheet(s) or tube which, when energized, provide sufficient heat to burn off soot particulates entrapped in the filter media.

Abstract: This diesel particulate filter apparatus comprises a main filter, a sub-filter provided in a central portion of the main filter, and a bypass cylinder interposed between the main filter and sub-filter. A filter body constituting the main filter is made of long ceramic fiber, and the surface of the filter body is covered with a metal net, which is then fixed thereto. A heat resisting metal coil is provided on the surface of the filter body which is at the exhaust gas introducing side, and a ceramic fiber twisting is wound around and fixed to the filter body. A bypass valve adapted to be opened and closed by an actuator is provided on an exhaust gas introducing side of the sub-filter, and an admission port of the sub-filter is opened and closed by the bypass valve.

Abstract: A filter-cleaning apparatus utilizes pulsed air to remove matter collected on a first surface of a filter. Reverse flow loosens the material which is collected in a hopper on the upstream side of the filter. The collected matter may then be combusted in the hopper so that the amount of material collected is minimized. The pulses are directed at the filter with a controlled shape and time to optimize reverse pulsing. Pulsing occurs while the thermal exhaust flow continues so that operation of the engine is not interrupted. A number of valves may be utilized to clean one or more filters.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a filter body for collecting particulates is constituted of a fiber laminate material produced by laminating a fiber material comprising a core material in the form of a fiber, and a covering layer of a material different from that of the core material formed around the outer periphery of the core material by coating. The core material of the fiber material is selected from among inorganic fibers such as glass or ceramic fibers containing alumina, and heat-resistant alloy fibers each made of a heat-resistant alloy selected from among Ti-Al alloys, Fe alloys containing at least one of Mo, Cr and Ni, and Fe-Cr-Al-Y alloys. The covering layer is made of a material selected from among silicon carbide ceramics respectively derived from polytitanocarbosilane, polysilazane and polycarbosilane, thermoplastic materials, silicon carbide ceramics such as Si-C, Si-Ti-C-O and Si-C-O or silicon nitride ceramics such as Si-N-C-O, alumina ceramics, and zirconia ceramics.

Abstract: To prevent damage to an electrical resistance heater (13-16) which, when energized by electrical energy, for example in the order of 100 A at 12-24 V, a heat reservoir substance is included in the filter, positioned in heat transfer relation to the electrical resistance heater (13-16) and located, with respect to the flow direction of the gas stream through the filter, upstream of the filter material (15). Preferably, the electrical resistance heater is a perforated, tubular sheet-metal structure, axial ends of which are electrically connectable by connecting bolts (21, 25) to an electrical energy supply. The heat reservoir substance (14) is either wrapped at the outside over the tubular resistance heater (13-16), applied as a layer (14a) at the inside of the tubular resistance heater, or filled into the hollow interior thereof in form of a wire wool (14b).

Abstract: An exhaust particulate filter for a diesel engine which is high in collecting efficiency of exhaust particulates and small in pressure loss, by using a felt-like body having pores of an optimum inner diameter between heat resistant inorganic lengthy fibers. Wire nets (31) formed of heat resistant metal are put upon both upper and lower surfaces of felt-like body (32), which are arrested from both the surfaces thereof by heat resistant yarn (33), the felt-like body (32) being configured such that heat resistant inorganic lengthy fibers cut into a predetermined length are irregularly oriented in a horizontal direction and laminated, to which needles are applied, and the inorganic lengthy fibers are vertically entangled.

Abstract: A system and related method for cleaning a particulate filter medium. The filter medium is cleaned by the input of energy to burn off particulate matter collected thereon. The system can comprise a thermocouple for monitoring the temperature of the filter medium at a plurality of locations. There is an electronic control unit for determining the point having a maximum individual temperature and creating a control signal commensurate with the maximum temperature. The control unit can determine if the control signal exceeds a predetermined set point level and if so reduces the energy input. The control unit also determines if the control signal falls within a predetermined range, also referred to as a band width of acceptable values less than the set point level. If the signal falls within the band width, the control unit controls the energy input and varies it as appropriate in order to maintain the control signal within the band width.

Abstract: A filter arrangement for removal of soot particles from the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, including a current supply and a filter body. The filter body is composed of a porous filter material. The filter body has a plurality of filter ducts arranged in a honey-comb pattern. Each filter duct has an inlet opening for the intake of the exhaust gases. The filter arrangement further includes a resistance heating element arranged in a region of each inlet opening and having a series of loops each projecting into the filter ducts. The resistance heating element further has a lead-in line and a lead-out line connected to the current supply. A wall of a respective filter duct and a respective heating element loop are form lockingly connected together.

Abstract: A filter assembly for removing particulates from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine. The filter assembly includes a housing having an inlet pipe which may be coupled to the engine and an outlet pipe which may be open to the atmosphere, and a self-contained filtering mechanism disposed within the housing. An exhaust gas fluid path is defined from the inlet pipe through the self-contained filtering mechanism and out the outlet pipe. Each of the components of the self-contained filtering mechanism are highly resistant to high temperatures, so that the filtering mechanism may be electrically regenerated by heat, produced by a heater operatively associated with the filtering mechanism, which burns off accumulated, typically hydrocarbon, particulates.

Abstract: In combination with a diesel engine, a particulate trap for purifying the diesel exhaust of the engine includes a case provided in the exhaust line of the diesel engine and a filter element mounted in the case. The filter element is a porous member of a heat-resistant metal framework having the form of a three-dimensional mesh. The surface roughness of the metal framework is at least 0.2 .mu.m. The pores of the porous member have an average diameter of 0.1-1 mm, the average number of such pores as counted in the thickness direction of the porous member is 10 or more, the volume packing density of the filter element to the entire filtering space is 10-40%, and the filter has a gas inflow filtration area of 400 cm.sup.2 per liter of the displacement of the engine to which the trap is to be mounted. The filter element has a high capacity to collect particulates and can withstand thermal shock during regeneration and yet produces little pressure drop in the exhaust line during filtration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat-resistant filter which is suitable for trapping particulate contained in a high temperature exhaust gas from an engine, and can be reconditioned by removing with burning the trapped particulate. This invention aims at providing a heat-resistant filter, which will suppress a rise in back pressure to a small amount even when exhaust gas processing is executed for a long period of time, will not cause problems in removing deposits through heating and burning by an electrical heat-generating member, and can endure corrosive action under a high-temperature acidic atmosphere. A filter layer having heat-resistant fibers laminated at random is provided between two air-permeable partitions, the first of which is disposed upstream in the direction of a fluid flow to be filtered and is formed of a planar fabric made of non-conductive heat-resistant fibers.

Abstract: A device and method for maintaining a clean gas stream includes a particulate filter comprising of support tube made from a formed textile. The formed textile is constructed from a continuous filament inorganic yarn and is porous to allow gas and particulates therein to pass through the support tube. A filtering element is disposed about the support tube to trap particulates in the exhaust gas. The formed textile which defines the support tube is relatively flexible in its natural state. To act as a supporting structure, the formed textile is made less flexible by the application of an inorganic binder. The natural flexibility of the formed textile minimizes the damaging effects of mechanical and thermal shock, while the inorganic binder stiffens the formed textile and allows the support tube to support itself and the filtering element thereon.

Abstract: An electrically regenerable diesel particulate filter cartridge and filter comprising a slotted electrically resistive tube which, when energized, heats the filter media to a temperature sufficient to allow the trapped soot particulates to burn.

Abstract: In a roll of electrically conductive filter materials (21-28) coiled together with spacers (31) to be (38) disposed in alternate relation to the filter materials, the filter materials (21-28) have a plurality of pairs of adjoining edges joined together to define openings for admitting gases into the roll, so that the filter materials (21-28) may collect particulates from the gases flowing therethrough. A central electrode (41) is connected in the center of the roll, while a cylindrical outer electrode (42) is connected about the outer periphery of the roll, so that upon application of an electric voltage thereacross, the two electrodes may supply an electric current to the filter materials (21-28) to heat them for regeneration.

Abstract: A filter for the separation of impurities from waste gases, in particular from the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, possesses a filter body, which consists of a plurality of compression moulded and high temperature resistant filter plates (10), in particular made of sintered metal powder, metal filings, metal fibres or a mixture thereof, which are disposed above or next to one another and between them form a plurality of flow ducts. To form inlet ducts (3) and outlet ducts (4) the flow ducts are open at one side and are closed on the other side. Walls of the filter plates (1) lying between the inlet and outlet ducts (3, 4) represent filter surfaces. Heat conducting sheets (5) are inserted into the inlet ducts (3).

Abstract: A ceramic exhaust trap regenerator provides a push-pull heat channeling method of transferring heat to and through the ceramic monolith with a flow of super-heated air. The application of heat is controlled by pulling the hot air through the monolith and away from the downstream side of the monolith through a vacuum hose. The regeneration process is started and completely controlled by an off-board mobile regeneration console with the engine off. The console is a wheeled cart with attachments that include an air heater, vacuum and positive pressure air pumps with attaching hoses, a temperature-actuated relay, a particulate filter, process timers, a heat exchanger, a cooling fan, and an electrical controller.

Abstract: A soot filter for diesel engines having tubular filter cartridges through the wall of which the exhaust gas passes from without to within and the soot to be burnt off settles on the tube outer wall by a burner, at least some of the filter cartridges are provided with constrictions forming respective first and second areas inside the cartridges and providing the flow resistance through the first areas close to the burner greater than the one through the second areas formed further away from the burner.

Abstract: An efficient, economical, compact diesel particulate filter comprising a casing comprising a plurality of perforated, supported, rigid tubes wherein the perforated surface of each tube is covered by a filtering element comprising substantially helically cross-wound inorganic yarn, and wherein the yarn is cross-wound to provide four-sided openings.

Abstract: An efficient, economical, compact diesel particulate trap has a plurality of perforated hollow tubes, on each of which a heat-resistant yarn is helically cross-wound to provide a plurality of layers that function as a filtering element. The yarn, which preferably is a continuous-filament ceramic yarn, has a core from which filaments or fiber segments project outwardly and intermesh with fiber segments of laterally spaced cores to provide traps. The cores of yarn convolutions of at least one layer are laterally offset from the cores of convolutions of an adjacent layer to deflect into tortuous paths gases flowing generally radially through the filtering element.

Abstract: A filter cartridge with heating element separated from a support member by filter media wherein the heating element has rows of apertures alternately staggered to provide good hoop strength while allowing longitudinal thermal growth and contraction.

Abstract: A particulate filter includes a housing having opposite ends, a pair of support walls adjacent respective opposite ends of the housing and defining therein an interior, and a pair of pure gas chambers defined at respective opposite ends of the housing at sides of the respective support walls outwardly of the interior. A plurality of elongated filter bodies are supported by the support walls to extend therebetween within the housing with longitudinal axes of the filter bodies extending parallel. The filter bodies define outwardly thereof within the housing a raw gas chamber in the form of a plurality of elongated raw gas compartments. Hollow interiors of the filter bodies define respective elongated pure gas channels. Each pure gas channel opens into at least one of the pure gas chambers.

Abstract: A cross-flow structure useful for filtering a fluid, for exchanging one or more constituents between two fluids, or for exchanging heat between two fluids, includes a body having porous partition walls defining at least one open channel extending entirely through it, and a portion of collecting fluid exiting the body through the porous partition walls, rather than through the open channel(s). The body is composed of a fused, interlocked, single crystal acicular ceramic material, preferably a non-stoichiometric acicular mullite of about 76 percent by weight Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and about 24 percent by weight SiO.sub.2. The portion for collecting fluid exiting from the porous walls is preferably an impermeable coating, such as a glaze, substantially covering the exterior of the body, except for the areas where fluid enters the open channel(s) and exits the porous walls.

Abstract: An efficient, economical, compact diesel particulate filter comprising a casing radially filled with a bundle of tubes comprising woven, braided, or knitted inorganic yarn, wherein each tube is at least about twice the length of the bundle, and is folded at one end to prevent exhaust from traveling through the hollow of the tube without passing through its wall.

Abstract: A filter for collecting fine particles in exhaust gas is equipped with: a multitude of cells bordering on each other and allowing exhaust gas to flow therethrough; cell partitions separating these multitude of cells from each other and having a multitude of pores through which the multitude of cells communicate with each other; and stop sections provided in the end portions of the multitude of cells so as to cause the exhaust gas introduced into each of the cells at one end thereof to flow into the adjacent cells through the pores of the cell partitions and be discharged at the other end of the cell. These stop sections are so arranged that the amount of exhaust gas entering the cells at the central region of one of the end portions is smaller than that at the peripheral region of the same. With this construction, the amount of fine particles accumulated in the peripheral filter region is relatively large, and that in the central filter region is relatively small.

Abstract: A regenerable exhaust gas filter element for diesel engines includes an interlaced network of mullite crystals grown together forming a rigid porous body. Soot carried by exhaust gas from a diesel engine flowing through the filter is trapped in the porous body and thereafter burned off to regenerate the element. A network of mullite crystals in accordance with the invention is automatically interlaced and fused with one another to form the porous body of the filter element.

Abstract: A particulate trap filter regenerative system for eliminating the fullness of particulates to a particulate trap filter, which collects particulates in the exhaust gas of diesel engines and the like, by burning off the particulates causing the loading with the flame injected from a burner disposed on the upper flow side of the filter, wherein the burner is installed in such a way that the flame injection axis thereof crosses with the extension line of the axis of the particulate trap filter at an angle of 35 to 55 degrees and a flame distributor provided with plural through holes is disposed in such a way that it crosses with the extension line of the axis of the particulate trap filter at an angle which is greater by 10 to 20 degrees than the flame injection angle of the burner. A honeycomb disc body made of ceramics may be installed between the flame distributor and the particulate trap filter.

Abstract: Fine particles including volatile components and combustible non-volatile components are removed from exhaust gas by a method comprising providing at least two paths for the gas each with a filter capable of trapping the particles and conducting a process of trapping the particles and a process of burning the trapped particles separately and alternately in different filters with an apparatus including at least two fine particle trapping apparatus each constituted as a pipe-like structure having its one end connected with a pipe for untreated exhaust gas, its other end connected with a pipe for treated exhaust gas and a filter made of incombustible material and capable of trapping the particles disposed between the two ends, switchover valves for selectively opening and closing the two ends, and heaters for heating the filters to a prescribed temperature.