Operation of diesel engines with reduced particulate emission by utilization of platinum group metal fuel additive and pass-through catalytic oxidizer

A method for operating of a diesel engine with reduced emission of particulates and gaseous pollutants, comprising:

• providing a diesel engine including a combustion chamber, for combusting a diesel fuel and thereby produce combustion gases including particulates, and an exhaust system, for removing combustion gases from the combustion chamber, said exhaust system including a pass-through catalyst support having sufficient surface to support an active oxidation catalyst for oxidizing at least a portion of the particulates discharged from the engine upon operation of the engine;
• introducing a fuel comprising a platinum group metal composition into a combustion chamber of a diesel engine, said platinum group metal composition being stable in the fuel composition prior to combustion and consumable during combustion to release platinum metal catalyst in active form;
• and
• combusting the fuel within said combustion chamber to improve combustion by reducing the levels of particulates, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide and releasing from the fuel upon combustion an active form of catalyst;
• discharging the exhaust from the combustion chamber and passing it through the pass-through catalyst support to deposit the active form of the catalyst within the pass-through catalyst support to thereby catalyze the support for selective catalytic activity and to further reduce particulates, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the fuel by oxidation due to contact with the catalyst.