The invention concerns a method for unblocking pores in a metal zeolite based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The method includes filling, at least partially, the SCR catalyst with a liquid, the liquid being preferably distilled water. The method includes letting said liquid inside the SCR catalyst enough time to allow said liquid to dissolve, at least partially, the obstructions and to penetrate into the pores. The method includes heating the SCR catalyst at a temperature above the ebullition temperature of the liquid so as to vaporize the part of the liquid remained into the pores, and generate steam flows through the obstructions, the steam flows removing the obstructions and unblocking the pores, wherein no hydrocarbons are injected during the step of heating.

The present invention relates to a chemical composition that removes accumulated impurities from a DPF in an easy and fast manner. The filter does not need to be removed from the vehicle, as cleaning is done by injecting the liquid through the temperature probe opening, and the chemical composition used is completely biodegradable. Cleaning with the chemical composition of the invention is not time consuming, is easy to perform and, results in completely purified DPF. Presented chemical composition for cleaning DPFs comprises alkyl sulfonic acid and distilled water, wherein the alkyl sulfonic acid is a short alkyl chain sulfonic acid with up to 4 carbon atoms (methane sulfonic acid, ethane sulfonic acid, propane sulfonic acid or butane sulfonic acid), with methane sulfonic acid being preferred due to its properties and availability.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for cleaning diesel particulate filters (DPFs) or similar items. Various combinations of features include: a multi-cell cleaning head; contemporaneous/simultaneous cleaning from both directions through the DPF (controlled so that no cell is simultaneously pressured from both ends); rotary or other movement of the heads across a static DPF, or a combination of movements of the DPF and the head(s); controlled positioning of the DPF with respect to the heads; gravity collection of removed ash/debris, separate from internal filtering of air within a cleaning cabinet; and others.

Apparatus and methods are provided whereby a component can be cleaned while the furnace is operational. Additionally, particulates that have accumulated on the component can be collected and retained. The apparatus may include a portable frame, a tubular lance supported by the frame and having a nozzle at a distal end thereof, and a suction generator operatively connected to a proximal end of the lance to generate a suction at the nozzle. Manipulation of the lance to move the nozzle across a component allows accumulated particulates to be removed therefrom through the lance.

An airborne particulate suppression system is disclosed as it may be implemented for cleaning diesel particulate filter (DPF) devices. In an example, the airborne particulate suppression system includes a containment area having an air inlet to receive air containing soot and an air outlet to exhaust air cleaned of the soot. The airborne particulate suppression system includes a supply basin for a scrubbing agent. The airborne particulate suppression system also includes a coil having a plurality of spray nozzles to spray the scrubbing agent into the containment area. A pump provides the scrubbing agent to the coil at a pumping rate configured to spray the scrubbing agent from the plurality of spray nozzles and onto the air with soot to clean the air of the soot.

A diesel particulate filter cleaning machine. The filter is filed with a soaking solution comprising water and a surfactant and retained within the filter during a soaking interval. The filter is placed in a rinsing station after the soaking interval. A rinse water head positioned above an upper surface of the filter supplies rinse water into the filter, the rinse water passes through and drains from the filter. During the rinsing process, an actuator moves the rinse water head relative to the upper surface of the filter. A drain receives the rinse water after draining from the filter.

A cleaning device for cleaning a filter arrangement which has a first fluid connection, a second fluid connection, and a filter assembly between the first and second fluid connections and which has a surface to which contaminants can adhere. A generator device for generating a gas-fluid mixture includes a receiving chamber for receiving a fluid, and a pressurized gas generating device. A first pipe assembly is connected to the generator device so that the gas-fluid mixture can be provided under pressure into the filter arrangement. A second pipe assembly is connectable to the second fluid connection and a collection device. The collection device collects the gas-fluid mixture and contaminants entrained from the filter arrangement. The first pipe assembly has a deflection pipe section which allows the receiving chamber to be filled with fluid without fluid entering the filter arrangement before the gas-fluid mixture is generated.

An apparatus and method for cleaning ash/soot and other particulates from diesel particulate filters (DPF), including diesel oxidative catalysts (DOC) and similar exhaust components. Section for dry and wet cleaning include conduits that connect to the filters. For dry cleaning, a filter is mounted clean side up and air pressure is applied in opposite directions so that the particulate is dislodged and falls out. For wet cleaning, the filter is floated with a slug of liquid cleaning solution which is surged back-and-forth through the filter to dislodge and remove the particulate. The dry and wet cleaning sections may be combined or collocated, or may be located separately or used one without the other.

A method and apparatus (1) for treating a filter (2) for filtering particulate matter from exhaust gas. A reservoir (3) containing a dry powder (4) is provided. A vacuum generator (6) establishes a primary gas flow through a porous structure of the filter (2) by applying a pressure reduction to an outlet face of the filter (2). A spray device (7) receives the dry powder (4) from a transport device (8) and sprays the dry powder (4) towards the inlet face of the filter (2). A controller (9) is configured to control operation of at least the vacuum generator (6) and the spray device (7).

A method for cleaning a filter arrangement which has a first fluid connector, a second fluid connector and a filter device which is arranged between the first and second fluid connectors and which has a surface to which contaminants can adhere. The method has the following steps: connecting the first fluid connector to a blowing chamber which has a gas connector, at least partially filling the blowing chamber with a liquid, and generating a cleaning pulse, in which gas is conducted under pressure via the gas connector into the blowing chamber for a first time duration, such that a gas-liquid mixture is forced via the first fluid connector through the filter device and out of the second fluid connector.