The first series-production particulate filter for Mercedes-Benz gasoline engines

To achieve current and future emission targets, the systematic further development of the conventional drive system with internal combustion engine and exhaust gas aftertreatment is becoming extremely important given its high market penetration at Mercedes- Benz. The combination of the Mercedes-Benz spray-guided combustion system with third-generation piezoelectric injectors (BlueDIRECT) is already helping sustainably undercut not just the limits for gaseous emissions but also the particulate number limit for EU6c (09/2017). To meet the Green Technology Leadership requirements, Mercedes-Benz became the world’s first manufacturer in early 2014 to use a gasoline particulate filter in the S-Class with BlueDIRECT engine. In future, the company also intends to roll out gasoline particulate filter technology in other vehicle models in the market. This paper sets out the requisite development steps for the successful market introduction of the gasoline particulate filter in relation to the particulate filter design, testing and validation. The development of the gasoline particulate filter technology is essentially influenced in this respect by the filtration efficiency, the exhaust gas backpressure and the installation space in the vehicle.