Trap apparatus with tubular filter element

Apparatus for processing exhaust gases from an engine, said apparatus comprising:

• an enclosure having inlet means and outlet means for passing the exhaust gases;
• means in the enclosure for segmenting flow of said exhaust gases into a plurality of fluid flow paths, said segmenting means including a valve which variously directs the flow among the paths, said segmenting means including an assembly with a plurality of openings, each of said openings leading to one of said flow paths, said valve including a shutter and means for directing said shutter to variously close one of said openings;
• means for filtering said exhaust gases flowing along each of said paths, each of said filtering means being a module, each of said modules having an open interior for flow of exhaust gases and a wall with filter material;
• means for supporting said modules relative to said housing so that each said wall with filter material has open space thereabout for flow of exhaust gases;
• means for heating said filtering means in said one of said fluid flow paths closed by said shutter directing means to cause particulates accumulated thereon to combust thereby regenerating said filtering means in said one path;
• and
• means for controlling said valve and said heating means.

A filter module for trap apparatus used to process exhaust gases from an engine, comprising:

• tubular means for filtering particulates from said exhaust gases;
• means, connected with said trap apparatus, for supporting said tubular filtering means, said supporting means including a tubular structural support closely adjacent said tubular filtering means;
• and
• electrical resistance means arranged in separation from said tubular filtering means for periodically radiating heat energy to said tubular filtering means and particulates accumulated therein to cause said particulates to combust;
• thereby periodically regenerating said tubular filtering means without said radiating means deteriorating due to high temperature contact with said filtering means during particulates combustion.