Patent ID: 6793716
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: B01D,F01N

Abstract:
Method for cleaning a particulate filter that has a filtering support with a porous structure, fixed in a metal casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, when in service the casing of the filter being joined to an upstream section of an exhaust line of a motor vehicle by its inlet port and to a downstream section thereof by its outlet port, comprising:passing through the filter, between the inlet port and the outlet port, a stream of exhaust gases from the motor vehicle's engine containing particles of soot, of which at least a proportion that is retained by the filtering support undergoes combustion by being heated up in the filtering support, so as to regenerate the filter in the exhaust line, and after an operating period of the filter in the exhaust line such that the filtering support of the filter regenerated by combustion is at least partly choked by mineral residues and the filter operation has deteriorated:disassembling at least part of the exhaust line incorporating the particulate filter in order to separate it from the motor vehicle; and contacting the filtering support with a cleaning solution for a period of time sufficient to ensure that the filtering support is soaked, so as to ensure or facilitate the detachment of the residues retained in the filtering support.