Cleaner control for diesel engine exhaust gases

Claim 1

An exhaust cleaner system for a diesel engine having an exhaust system for the discharge of exhaust gases emitted from the discharge of exhaust gases emitted from the engine, said cleaner system comprising, in combination: an exhaust duct for conducting engine exhaust gas; a cleaner having a filter disposed therein and an upstream compartment located upstream of the filter, said upstream compartment communicating with the exhaust duct for directing exhaust gases to the filter which traps carbon particulates carried by the exhaust gases; a burner unit including a combustion chamber having an outlet communicating with said upstream compartment and including a fuel nozzle and an igniter for combusting a mixture of fuel and air to produce a flame for providing to said outlet a high temperature combustion gas necessary to elevate the temperature of the exhaust gases entering said upstream chamber to a temperature suitable for incinerating carbon particulates trapped by the filter; an air supply means for supplying air to the combustion chamber upstream of the outlet thereof; a fuel supply means for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber upstream of the outlet thereof; sensing means for sensing pressure inside the combustion chamber upstream of the outlet thereof and for generating a signal indicative thereof; an air pressure regulating means actuated by said signal for increasing the pressure of the air supplied to the combustion chamber in correspondence with an increase in pressure within the combustion chamber; and a fuel pressure regulating means actuated by said signal for increasing the pressure of fuel supplied to the combustion chamber in correspondence with an increase in pressure within the combustion chamber, said burner operative during the discharge of the exhaust gases through the filter.