Exhaust treatment system having hydraulically-actuated air valve

Abstract

An exhaust treatment system for a power source is disclosed. The exhaust treatment system has an inlet configured to receive an exhaust flow from the power source, a filtering medium configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow, and an outlet configured to direct the exhaust flow from the filtering medium to the atmosphere. The exhaust treatment system also has a heating device configured to raise the temperature of the particulate matter entrained within the filtering medium, a supply of pressurized air, and a pilot-operated valve configured to selectively direct the pressurized air to the heated particulate matter.

1 . An exhaust treatment system for a power source, comprising: 
 an inlet configured to receive an exhaust flow from the power source;    a filtering medium configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow;    an outlet configured to direct the exhaust flow from the filtering medium to the atmosphere;    a heating device configured to raise the temperature of the particulate matter entrained within the filtering medium;    a supply of pressurized air; and    a pilot-operated valve configured to selectively direct the pressurized air to the heated particulate matter.    
   
   
       2 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 1 , further including a supply of pilot fluid, wherein the pilot operated valve includes a valve element movable by the pilot fluid.  
   
   
       3 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 2 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a lubricant of the power source.  
   
   
       4 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 2 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a fuel of the power source.  
   
   
       5 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the pilot-operated valve is solenoid-actuated.  
   
   
       6 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating device is a fuel-powered burner.  
   
   
       7 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 5 , further including a single power source controller in communication with the power source and a solenoid of the pilot operated valve, the single power source controller configured to control operation of the power source and the pilot-operated valve.  
   
   
       8 . A method of treating an exhaust flow of a power source, comprising: 
 directing the exhaust flow from the power source to a filtering medium to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow;    directing the exhaust flow from the filtering medium to the atmosphere;    raising the temperature of the particulate matter entrained within the filtering medium; and    regulating a flow of pilot fluid to an air valve to selectively pass pressurized air to the heated particulate matter.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a lubricant of the power source.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a fuel of the power source.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein regulating a flow of pilot fluid includes pressurizing the pilot fluid and supplying the pilot fluid to a first valve element to move the first valve element.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein regulating further includes directing a current to a solenoid mechanism to move a second valve element.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , further including heating the entrained particulate matter.  
   
   
       14 . A work machine, comprising: 
 a power source configured to produce a power output and an exhaust flow; and    an exhaust treatment system configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow, the exhaust treatment system including: 
 an inlet configured to receive the exhaust flow;  
 a filtering medium configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow;  
 an outlet configured to direct the exhaust flow from the filtering medium to the atmosphere;  
 a heating device configured to raise the temperature of the particulate matter entrained within the filtering medium;  
 a supply of pressurized air; and  
 a pilot-operated valve configured to selectively direct the pressurized air to the heated particulate matter.  
   
   
   
       15 . The work machine of  claim 14 , further including a supply of pilot fluid, wherein the pilot operated valve includes a valve element movable by the pilot fluid.  
   
   
       16 . The work machine of  claim 15 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a lubricant of the power source.  
   
   
       17 . The work machine of  claim 15 , wherein the pilot fluid includes a fuel of the power source.  
   
   
       18 . The work machine of  claim 14 , wherein the pilot-operated valve is solenoid-actuated.  
   
   
       19 . The work machine of  claim 14 , wherein the heating device is a fuel-powered burner.  
   
   
       20 . The work machine of  claim 19 , further including a single power source controller in communication with the power source and a solenoid of the pilot operated valve, the single power source controller configured to control operation of the power source and the pilot-operated valve.