System for and methods of operating diesel engines to reduce harmful exhaust emissions and to improve engine lubrication

A method of operating a diesel engine fitted with a diesel particulate filter, comprising the steps of:

• adding an oil-soluble catalytic additive to oil in the engine;
• transferring a measured amount of engine oil, containing said catalytic additive, from said engine to diesel fuel in a fuel tank;
• burning fuel from the fuel tank in the diesel engine to produce exhaust;
• and
• trapping particulate matter from said exhaust on said diesel particulate filter;
• and
• igniting said trapped particulate matter to regenerate said particulate filter;
• whereby a small amount of said catalytic additive is present in said particulate matter to catalyze ignition thereof during regeneration of said diesel particulate filter;
• wherein said regeneration creates PM combustion products, further comprising a step of routing said PM combustion products from said particulate filter into an intake manifold of said engine;
• and further comprising an intermediate step of passing said PM combustion products through a water bath in an EGR accumulator.

An improved method of operating a diesel particulate filter coupled with a cooled EGR process by the use of a single diverter valve located downstream of dual filters in a diesel particulate filter system, said method comprising the steps of

• trapping particulate matter from diesel exhaust on a diesel particulate filter;
• and
• igniting said trapped particulate matter to regenerate said particulate filter;
• wherein a small amount of a catalytic additive is present in said particulate matter to catalyze ignition thereof during regeneration of said diesel particulate filter;
• wherein said regeneration creates PM combustion products, and further comprising a step of routing said PM combustion products from said particulate filter into an intake manifold of said engine;
• and further comprising an intermediate step of passing said PM combustion products through a water bath in an EGR accumulator.

An emissions reduction system for a diesel engine equipped with an intake manifold and an oil sump, said system comprising:

• a first metering pump for pumping a measured amount of oil from said oil sump to a fuel tank;
• a bifurcated filtering exhaust assembly having a first branch with a first particulate filter therein and a second branch with a second particulate filter therein, said exhaust assembly comprising a diverter valve located downstream of said first and second filters for limiting exhaust flow through said assembly to one of said branches;
• an EGR accumulator tank for holding a water bath;
• an EGR tube for connecting said exhaust assembly to said EGR accumulator tank;
• and
• a conduit for conducting a gas from said accumulator tank to said intake manifold.

A method of operating a diesel engine in a vehicle having a fuel tank and a diesel particulate filter, comprising the steps of:

• adding an oil-soluble catalytic additive to oil in the diesel engine;
• transferring a measured amount of engine oil containing said catalytic additive from said diesel engine to fuel in the fuel tank;
• burning fuel from the fuel tank in the diesel engine to produce exhaust;
• trapping particulate matter from said exhaust on said diesel particulate filter;
• and
• igniting said trapped particulate mater to regenerate said particulate filter;
• whereby a small amount of said catalytic additive is present in said particulate matter to catalyze ignition thereof during regeneration said diesel particulate filter;
• wherein said regeneration creates PM combustion products, and
• routing said PM combustion products from said particulate filter into an intake manifold of said engine;
• and further comprising an intermediate step of passing said PM combustion products through a water bath in an EGR accumulator.

A method of operating a diesel particulate filter coupled with a cooled EGR process in a diesel particulate filter system, said method comprising the steps of

• trapping particulate matter from diesel exhaust on a diesel particulate filter;
• and igniting said trapped particulate matter to regenerate said particulate filter;
• wherein a small amount of a catalytic additive is present in said particulate matter to catalyze ignition thereof during regeneration of said diesel particulate filter;
• wherein said regeneration creates PM combustion products, and further comprising a step of routing said PM combustion products from said particulate filter through a water bath in an EGR accumulator, and into an intake manifold of said engine.

A method of operating a diesel engine in a vehicle having a fuel tank and a diesel particulate filter, comprising the steps of:

• adding an oil-soluble catalytic additive to oil in the diesel engine;
• using a pump to transfer a measured amount of engine oil containing said catalytic additive from said diesel engine to fuel in the fuel tank;
• burning fuel from the fuel tank in the diesel engine to produce exhaust;
• trapping particulate matter from said exhaust on said diesel particulate filter;
• and
• igniting said trapped articulate matter to regenerate said particulate filter;
• whereby a small amount of said catalytic additive is present in said particulate matter to catalyze ignition thereof during regeneration said diesel particulate filter;
• wherein said regeneration creates PM combustion products;
• passing said PM combustion products through a water bath in an EGR
• accumulator;
• and
• routing said PM combustion products into an intake manifold of said engine;
• wherein said water bath contains a catalytic water solution comprising a water-soluble catalytic compound of Cu, Ce, or Fe therein.