WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DPF CLEANING?

Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) are a widely used, proven emissions control product used on many types of diesel equipment operating in some of the harshest environments.

As a DPF collects Particulate Matter (PM), the passage of exhaust gas through the pores of the filter element may be progressively blocked, causing an increase in exhaust backpressure. Collected PM is combusted and reduced to ash during filter regeneration, effectively unblocking the pores of the filter element and decreasing exhaust backpressure.

Normal filter operation will include fluctuations in exhaust backpressure; however, over time the accumulation of ash will gradually continue to increase backpressure. Long term buildup of ash is remedied by periodic filter cleaning.

DPF Cleaning is a restorative process that regenerates and cleans the DPF, extending the serviceable life considerably.

More serviceable life is achievable with professional cleaning.

Professional DPF Cleaning Involves;

Baseline testing before and after back pressures, referenced against the original back pressure
Pneumatic Flow through every cell multiple times to blow out soot and ash (Stage 1 Clean)
Thermal Regeneration (if necessary) to burn off trapped soot and dislodge difficult to remove ash, subsequently followed up with Pneumatic Flow. (Stage 2 Clean)

CLEANING PROCEDURE

Inspection & Testing
Inspection and flow tests are performed at every stage of the cleaning process. We use detailed documentation to record the results throughout the testing and cleaning process.

TrapTester Bench
The Traptester bench test simulates exhaust gas flow of a diesel engine, allowing us to record the initial back pressure of the DPF. The flow tests are carried out and recorded at every stage of the clean.

Pin Gauge Testing
Pin gauge testing is performed in a concentric clockwise pattern to help diagnose the level of soot/ash blocking. This will also diagnose cracked or damaged cores.

Stage 1 Clean (Pneumatic) TrapBlaster

Bi-directional air scanning (off-set, top and bottom) blasts out the trapped ash in every individual cell.
The bottom nozzle dislodges and breaks up the ash while the top nozzle pushes the ash out into the Dust Trap SootSucker below for safe containment and disposal.
The air nozzles pass over each cell multiple times and can be manually controlled to focus on specific areas.

Visual Diagnostic Tool

This stage of the cleaning process is also useful to detect defective or blocked cells.
Cell blockages are observed when sudden jets of Particulate Matter or ash are emitted.

Stage 2 Clean (Thermal Cleaning) TrapBurner

Filters that have not undergone a regular clean, may need to progress to the Thermal Cleaning stage. At this point the DPF oven will heat the DPF substrate to the high temperatures required for non-catalysed regeneration.
This process will oxidise accumalated soot to combust to inert ash, mirroring the process of regeneration on your vehicle under heavy load.
Once this process has been completed the substrate is put through the TrapBlaster again, further flow tests are conducted to quantify the result of clean.

Complete DPF Refurbishment

In the event of a filter failing to pass, it may be possible to repair or refurb the DPF.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you clean "irrecoverable" DPFs?

Yes, there has been many instances where we have been able to restore filters that other service centers with traditional cleaning equipment claimed were irrecoverable.

Do you have an exchange program?

This program is being developed and we hope to have available very soon for some of the very popular filters.

Do you pick up DPFs?

Yes we do. Contact our team for more information

Do you have a DPF removal/installation service?

We would like to offer this service however space does not permit at this time.

Why do filters need cleaning?

1. Though the process of continual thermal cycling in the DPF (Regeneration), with each soot burn off there is a residue of inert ash. When this gets mixed with humidity and heat from the exhaust this ash gets baked and impacted into the filter. Over a period of time, by performing the simple ‘pin test’, it will be found that the filter is filling and back pressure is increasing

2. There has not been sufficient regeneration and the filter has become plugged with soot

How do I tell how clean my DPF is after cleaning?

Combination of flow test and pin test. With the Pin test, a thin wire is inserted into the clean side of the filter and a measurement taken. The Pin is then inserted into the ‘dirty’ side of the filter and a 2nd measurement taken. If the filter has been properly cleaned/restored then the 2 measurements should be equal.

What size DPFs can be cleaned?

Our equipment is big enough to clean all known DPF sizes.

How long does it take to clean my DPF?

Typically 24 hours. A high speed cleaning program is being developed, watch this space! There is the occasional filter that is very highly impacted and additional time is required.

What happens if my DPF is covered in sensors?

Not a problem. There is an additional charge for removal of sensors. While we seek to be able to reuse these sensors, they are very sensitive and sometimes require replacing.

Do I need to clean my DOC's?

Yes – Periodic cleaning of DOC’s required otherwise these can become soot loaded and their effectiveness compromised – especially if the DOC has been exposed to high-sulfur and poisoned.