# US 2014/0196519 A1 · Method for measuring amount of particulate matter accumulated in an exhaust gas purification filter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196519 A1 - Document ID: US20140196519A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/123,314 - Filed: 2012-05-18 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-03 - Inventors: Eiichi Takahashi; Osamu Shinozaki; Takehiko Segawa; Hirohide Furutani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196519A1 ## CPC - G01M 15/102: {by monitoring exhaust gases} - B01D 46/0086: {Filter condition indicators} - B01D 46/2418: {Honeycomb filters (used for filtering exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine F01N3/022; ceramic honeycomb structures per se C04B38/0006)} - B01D 46/442: {by measuring the concentration of particles} - F01N 3/023: using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles - G01N 29/032: by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves - G01N 29/348: {with frequency characteristics, e.g. single frequency signals, chirp signals (measuring frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04; measuring frequency or analysing frequency spectra G01R23/00)} - F01N 3/0222: {the structure being monolithic, e.g. honeycombs} - F01N 9/002: {of filter regeneration} - F01N 13/008: {Mounting or arrangement of exhaust sensors in or on exhaust apparatus (sensor arrangements for engine control F02D41/1439)} - F01N 2560/05: the means being a particulate sensor - F01N 2560/12: Other sensor principles, e.g. using electro conductivity of substrate or radio frequency - F01N 2900/1606: Particle filter loading or soot amount - G01N 2291/0217: Smoke, combustion gases - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A measurement method capable of accurately evaluating the trapped amount of particulate matter (PM) accumulated in a diesel particulate filter (DPF) is provided. The method for measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter comprises propagating ultrasonic waves generated by a transmitter 3 provided directly to the DPF or outside a container and insulation material 6 having a property that propagates ultrasonic waves, measuring the amount of PM accumulated in the DPF 2 using a receiver 4, the DPF being composed of porous ceramic and disposed at an intermediate point in the exhaust pipe 1 of a diesel engine, and determining the amount of accumulated PM on the basis of the results. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of measuring the amount of particulate matter (PM) accumulated in an exhaust gas purification apparatus with which a diesel engine is equipped, wherein a diesel particulate filter (DPF) configured to have a porous ceramic is connected to an intermediate point in an exhaust pipe, a container containing the DPF or the like has an ultrasonic wave transmitter for propagating an ultrasonic wave and an ultrasonic wave receiver for receiving an ultrasonic wave on an exterior thereof, and the amount of the PM accumulated in the DPF is evaluated based on attenuation of a detected signal of the ultrasonic wave propagating through a main DPF body using a control apparatus that processes the detected signal of the ultrasonic wave receiver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus evaluates the amount of the PM accumulated in the DPF based on attenuation obtained by comparing amplitude of a detected signal of an ultrasonic wave propagating through the main DPF body when the PM is not accumulated with amplitude of a detected signal of an ultrasonic wave propagating through the main DPF body when the PM is accumulated, and the control apparatus determines that it is necessary to operate regeneration of the DPF when the attenuation exceeds a constant value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 1, wherein an ultrasonic wave of several MHz frequency range is used. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 1, wherein a heat insulator made of a material which prevents signal attenuation of an ultrasonic wave is arranged between the main DPF body and the container containing the main DPF body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 2, wherein an ultrasonic wave of several MHz frequency range is used. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 2, wherein a heat insulator made of a material which prevents signal attenuation of an ultrasonic wave is arranged between the main DPF body and the container containing the main DPF body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 3, wherein a heat insulator made of a material which prevents signal attenuation of an ultrasonic wave is arranged between the main DPF body and the container containing the main DPF body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of measuring the amount of accumulated particulate matter according to claim 5, wherein a heat insulator made of a material which prevents signal attenuation of an ultrasonic wave is arranged between the main DPF body and the container containing the main DPF body.