Particulate filter and method for its assembly

1. A particulate filter cartridge assembly comprising:

a perforated support tube;

a woven metal fiber filter medium surrounding the support tube and having inlet and outlet ends crimped down to the support tube, the filter medium welded to the support tube at crimped portions;

an outer housing shell surrounding the woven metal fiber filter medium;

a perforated inlet baffle radially extending from an inlet end of the support tube to an inlet end of the outer housing shell;

a solid outlet baffle radially extending from an outlet end of the support tube to an outlet end of the outer housing shell; and

a solid inlet center cap coupled to the inlet end of the support tube.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the particulate filter is adapted to trap Diesel particulates.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an inlet retention ring surrounding the inlet end crimped portion of the filter medium and an output retention ring surrounding the outlet end crimped portion of the filter medium.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the filter medium between the inlet crimped end and the outlet crimped end is pleated.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an inlet frustro-conical section coupled to the inlet end of the outer housing shell; and

an outlet frustro-conical section coupled to the outlet end of the outer housing shell.

6. A particulate filter assembly comprising:

a first perforated support tube having an inlet end and an outlet end;

a first woven metal fiber medium surrounding the first support tube, crimped down to the first support tube at its inlet and outlet ends and welded to the first tube at crimped ends of the first filter medium;

a second perforated support tube having an inlet end and an outlet end and surrounding the first woven metal fiber medium;

a second woven metal fiber filter medium surrounding the second support tube, crimped down to the second support tube at its inlet and outlet ends and welded to the second support tube at crimped ends of the second filter medium;

a solid inlet center cap coupled to the inlet end of the first support tube;

a first perforated inlet baffle radially extending from an inlet end of the first support tube to an inlet end of the second support tube;

a first solid outlet baffle radially extending from an outlet end of the first support tube to an outlet end of the second support tube;

an outer housing shell surrounding the second woven metal fiber medium;

a second solid input baffle radially extending from an input end of the second support tube toward an inlet end of the outer housing shell; and

a second perforated outlet baffle radially extending from an outlet end of the second support tube toward an outlet end of the outer housing shell.

7. The particulate filter assembly of claim 6 further comprising:

a third perforated support tube surrounding the second woven metal fiber medium inside the outer housing shell;

a third woven metal fiber filter medium surrounding the third support tube, crimped down to the third support tube at its inlet and outlet ends and welded to the third support tube at crimped ends of the third filter medium;

a third perforated input baffle radially extending between the inlet end of the third support tube and the inlet end of the outer housing shell; and

a third solid output baffle radially extending between the outlet end of the third support tube and an outlet end of the outer housing shell.

8. The particulate filter assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

a frustro-conical inlet section coupled to the inlet end of the outer housing shell; and

a frustro-conical outlet section coupled to the outlet end of the outer housing shell.

9. The particulate filter assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

a layer of heat insulating material adjacent an inner surface of the outer housing shell.

10. The particulate filter assembly of claim 9 wherein the first, second and third filter media are pleated.