Why the patented Xpurge® process is the market leader for HGV DPF cleaning

Euro VI legislation clearly defines the limits for HGV exhaust emissions.

To prevent noxious Particulate Matter (PM) entering the atmosphere and ensure Euro VI compliance, diesel-fuelled HGVs are fitted with Diesel Particle Filters (DPFs), as an integral part of the vehicle’s Exhaust After Treatment System (EATS).

During normal operation, soot and ash, which are by-products of diesel combustion, accumulates in the DPF.  To ensure the filter performs efficiently, at certain intervals, a DPF ‘regeneration’ process occurs, where the engine works harder to add extra heat into the exhaust system, in order to burn off the soot deposits.

Hard ash deposits also build up in the DPF over time. When the filter becomes saturated, normally at intervals of around 100,000km, the ash must be removed off-vehicle via a professional cleaning process. A lack of cleaning can result in significant damage to the EATS, due to an increase in exhaust back pressure, as well as causing a significant increase in fuel consumption and potential lack of engine power.

Having invested years of research, Ceramex identified that HGV DPFs can be cleaned in a number of ways but its patented process of aqueous cleaning, which utilises purge  technology, is by far the most effective method of removing ash from the filter.

Innovated and patented by Ceramex, Xpurge® is a market leading DPF purge cleaning system.

Xpurge® fills the DPF with pure deionised water and seals both the inlet and outlet faces of the unit. A pulse of high pressure air then ejects the water, soot and hardened ash from the ceramic substrate inside the DPF. Typically, this automated process will remove 350g to 400g of soot and ash from each filter.

Xpurge® restores the DPF to approximately 98% of its original brand new performance. Following this, another Ceramex patented technology, Veritex®, provides a detailed internal inspection of the DPF, to prove the results of the cleaning process.

DPFs that are cleaned professionally, in accordance with the required maintenance schedule, will deliver a lower exhaust back pressure, thereby enabling more efficient engine performance and reduced fuel consumption, as less regenerations are required.

In contrast with the Ceramex patented and automated process, other cleaning methods in the market are not as effective. They involve flushing dirty DPFs with water, firstly through the inlet face and then the outlet face.  However, flushing alone is simply not powerful enough to fully remove the hardened ash deposits, resulting in up to 30% of the contaminants remaining inside the substrate of the DPF.

Other methods include the use of compressed air to blow out the ash, or even baking filters in an oven to try burn off the hardened deposits. Chemical additives may also be used to try and dissolve the ash.  Independent testing has shown that these approaches risk damage to the DPF, compromising its performance and none is able to compete with the complete effectiveness delivered by the patented Xpurge® process.

Environmentally responsible

Critically, Xpurge® collects the particulate matter in aqueous suspension, which eliminates any risk of noxious particulates entering the atmosphere. Ceramex is the only specialist DPF cleaning business which has an onsite treatment plant that safely removes the particulate matter from the water. The solid matter is disposed of by a third party in accordance with environment regulations and the waste water is cleaned and returned to the mains supply, as part of Ceramex’s contribution to the circular economy.

This meticulous and environmentally-conscious approach to waste removal enables Ceramex to support customers confidently and proactively in their respective drive to ‘Net Zero.’

Trust Ceramex to keep your HGV fleet clean, efficient and environmentally sound.