Particulate and exhaust gas emission control system

A particulate and exhaust gas emission control system for a vehicle having a diesel engine and a fuel tank storing diesel fuel for powering the diesel engine, said control system comprising:

• a particulate trap connectable to an exhaust manifold of said diesel engine, said particulate trap having a porous ceramic filter structure for collecting carbon particulates from the exhaust gases emitted by said diesel engine, said particulate trap located relative to said exhaust manifold a distance predetermined for said exhaust gases to heat said porous ceramic structure to within a predetermined temperature range under at least one operating state of said diesel engine, said porous ceramic filter structure being a honeycomb structure having a plurality of inlet and outlet channels separated by porous longitudinal walls having pores permitting the exhaust gases to pass from said inlet channels to said outlet channels, said carbon particulates being collected on the surfaces of said inlet channels, said porous longitudinal walls of said outlet channels having a thin layer of a metal having catalytic properties deposited directly on the surfaces thereof and into said pores to promote the oxidation of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases, said layer of metal having catalytic properties selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and alloys thereof and extending substantially the length of said longitudinal walls;
• an additive tank for storing a fuel additive effective to depress the ignition temperature of the collected carbon particulates to said predetermined temperature range;
• and
• means for metering said fuel additive from said additive tank to said fuel tank in response to adding fuel to said fuel tank to maintain a predetermined ratio of said fuel additive to the fuel in said tank.