Abstract: A control device calculates an SOx concentration in exhaust gas on the basis of a sensor output current when a voltage applied to a limiting current sensor is stepped down from a predetermined voltage value. The control device is configured to step up the voltage applied to the limiting current sensor to the predetermined voltage value when the temperature of the limiting current sensor is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature or when a condition in which the temperature of the limiting current sensor is predicted to be equal to or lower than the first predetermined temperature is established.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to detect a concentration of a SOx included in an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine easily and accurately by a limiting current type sensor. The invention relates to a SOx concentration detection device of the engine having a limiting current type sensor. The device of the invention comprises a detecting part for detecting the concentration of the SOx included in the exhaust gas by using an output current of the sensor while lowering a voltage applied to the sensor from a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: The present teaching rekates to providing a NOx decomposition agent having an excellent NOx decomposition rate. The NOx decomposition agent containing a perovskite oxide represented by ABx-1MxO3, wherein A represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of La, Sr, Mg, Ca and Ba, B represents Mn, M represents a combination of one or more first metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Ce, and one or two second metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ca and Mg, and x represents a number greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1.

Abstract: A gas concentration detecting device includes a gas concentration detecting element and an electronic control unit. The gas concentration detecting element includes a first electrochemical cell and a second electrochemical cell. The electronic control unit is configured to detect the concentration of the sulfur oxide contained in the test gas based on a first detected value correlated with a current flowing through the first electrochemical cell acquired when a first removing voltage is applied to the second electrochemical cell and a measuring voltage is applied to the first electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A gas concentration detecting device includes a gas concentration detecting element and an electronic control unit. The gas concentration detecting element includes a first electrochemical cell. The electronic control unit is configured to detect the concentration of the sulfur oxide contained in the test gas based on a first detected value correlated with a current flowing through the first electrochemical cell acquired when a first predetermined voltage is applied to the first electrochemical cell. The first predetermined voltage is a voltage at which the water and the sulfur oxide contained in the test gas are decomposed in the first electrode of the first electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes a SCR system disposed in an exhaust passage and a particulate matter sensor disposed downstream of the SCR system. The control device applies a particulate matter trapping voltage to the particulate matter sensor, and acquires an output of the particulate matter sensor at a first timing after the start of application of the particulate matter trapping voltage. The control device executes predetermined control in accordance with the output. If a second timing at which an integrated operating time period of the internal combustion engine in a predetermined operating state in which urea-related substances discharged to downstream of the SCR system increase reaches a reference time period after starting application of the particulate matter trapping voltage is earlier than the first timing, the control device stops the predetermined control.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an SCR system disposed on an exhaust passage and a particulate matter sensor disposed downstream of the SCR system, the particulate matter sensor for producing an output that corresponds to an amount of particulate matter deposited on an element section. A control apparatus for the internal combustion engine includes: means for detecting a condition of the element section being deposited with a urea-related substance; and means for controlling to bring a temperature of the element section to a first temperature range when the condition of being deposited with the urea-related substance is detected. The first temperature range is higher than a temperature at which the urea-related substance vaporizes and lower than a temperature at which the particulate matter burns. This prevents the urea-related substance from being deposited on an electrode of the particulate matter sensor and limits variations in an output of the particulate matter sensor.

Abstract: By raising a temperature of an element portion of a particulate matter sensor (8) that is arranged in an exhaust passage (4) of an internal combustion engine (2), a heat generation amount that results from the combustion of particulate matters is detected, during a removal treatment of removing, through combustion, particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion. Besides, an amount of particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion of the particulate matter sensor (8) is detected on the basis of an output of the particulate matter sensor (8), before the start of this removal treatment. On the other hand, an amount of particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion before the start of the removal treatment is detected in accordance with the heat generation amount.

Abstract: Disclosed is an abnormality determination device capable of checking for abnormal particulate matter detection by a particulate matter detection sensor. The particulate matter detection sensor 10 includes a sensor element section 12, which comes into contact with particulate matter in exhaust gas in an exhaust pipe 6 of an internal combustion engine 2, and changes its output in accordance with the amount of particulate matter attached to the sensor element section 12. A heater for the particulate matter detection sensor 10 is capable of heating the sensor element section 12 to a particulate matter elimination temperature (T3) at which the particulate matter attached to the sensor element section 12 is eliminated from the sensor element section 12. An ECU 50 determines, in accordance with output changes (S1 to S4) occurring in the particulate matter detection sensor 10 during heater control, whether or not the particulate matter detection sensor 10 is abnormal.

Abstract: An SCR system (8) is arranged in an exhaust path (4) of an internal combustion engine (2) to which the invention is applied, and a particulate filter (14) is arranged downstream thereof. A control apparatus (16) includes temperature controlling means for controlling a temperature of an element portion of the particulate sensor. The temperature controlling means performs control to increase the temperature of the element portion of the particulate sensor to a first temperature range (T1), when a cumulative value (t) of a time for which the particulate sensor is used in a specific operating state reaches a reference time (t1), after detection of a particulate amount by the particulate sensor has started this time. Here, the specific operating state is an operating state set taking into account an operating state in which urea related substances tend to be discharged to a downstream side of the SCR system (8).

Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes a SCR system disposed in an exhaust passage and a particulate matter sensor disposed downstream of the SCR system. The control device applies a particulate matter trapping voltage to the particulate matter sensor, and acquires an output of the particulate matter sensor at a first timing after the start of application of the particulate matter trapping voltage. The control device executes predetermined control in accordance with the output. If a second timing at which an integrated operating time period of the internal combustion engine in a predetermined operating state in which urea-related substances discharged to downstream of the SCR system increase reaches a reference time period after starting application of the particulate matter trapping voltage is earlier than the first timing, the control device stops the predetermined control.

Abstract: By raising a temperature of an element portion of a particulate matter sensor (8) that is arranged in an exhaust passage (4) of an internal combustion engine (2), a heat generation amount that results from the combustion of particulate matters is detected, during a removal treatment of removing, through combustion, particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion. Besides, an amount of particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion of the particulate matter sensor (8) is detected on the basis of an output of the particulate matter sensor (8), before the start of this removal treatment. On the other hand, an amount of particulate matters that are deposited on the element portion before the start of the removal treatment is detected in accordance with the heat generation amount.

Abstract: An SCR system (8) is arranged in an exhaust path (4) of an internal combustion engine (2) to which the invention is applied, and a particulate filter (14) is arranged downstream thereof. A control apparatus (16) includes temperature controlling means for controlling a temperature of an element portion of the particulate sensor. The temperature controlling means performs control to increase the temperature of the element portion of the particulate sensor to a first temperature range (T1), when a cumulative value (t) of a time for which the particulate sensor is used in a specific operating state reaches a reference time (t1), after detection of a particulate amount by the particulate sensor has started this time. Here, the specific operating state is an operating state set taking into account an operating state in which urea related substances tend to be discharged to a downstream side of the SCR system (8).

Abstract: A particulate matter sensor comprises an insulating body and a pair of electrodes disposed apart form each other on a main surface of the insulating body. The insulating body includes an insulating portion being equal to or higher than the height of the pair of the electrodes in a direction perpendicular to the main surface, formed on the part where the pair of the electrodes are. In one of the methods for manufacturing the particulate matter sensor, first, an electrode pattern composed of a material for the pair of the electrodes is formed on a body material composing the insulating body, and a mask, having identical pattern of the electrode pattern and composed of material which vaporizes at a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature that the electrode pattern is sintered, is formed on the electrode pattern. A thin film of the material composing the insulating portion is formed, and the electrode pattern and the thin film is sintered to form the electrodes and the insulating portion.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an SCR system disposed on an exhaust passage and a particulate matter sensor disposed downstream of the SCR system, the particulate matter sensor for producing an output that corresponds to an amount of particulate matter deposited on an element section. A control apparatus for the internal combustion engine includes: means for detecting a condition of the element section being deposited with a urea-related substance; and means for controlling to bring a temperature of the element section to a first temperature range when the condition of being deposited with the urea-related substance is detected. The first temperature range is higher than a temperature at which the urea-related substance vaporizes and lower than a temperature at which the particulate matter burns. This prevents the urea-related substance from being deposited on an electrode of the particulate matter sensor and limits variations in an output of the particulate matter sensor.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device having a particulate matter sensor which has a pair of electrodes disposed at a distance from each other and measures the amount of particulate matter in a gaseous body, and elimination means for burning and eliminating particulate matter attached to the particulate matter sensor. The control device performs a particulate matter elimination process to judge whether the amount of particulate matter attached to the particulate matter sensor is smaller than a reference particulate matter amount that is predefined as the minimum amount of remaining particulate matter required to bring the pair of electrodes into electrical conduction at one or more spots. When the amount of particulate matter is judged to be smaller than the reference particulate matter amount, the control device causes the elimination means to terminate the particulate matter elimination process.

Abstract: According to the invention, a particulate matter sensor is installed in an exhaust passage of an internal-combustion engine. A control unit for this internal-combustion engine detects a particulate amount in an exhaust gas through the exhaust passage in response to an output from the particulate matter sensor. Further, the control unit for the internal-combustion engine forms a particulate layer on electrode surfaces of the particulate matter sensor by applying a particulate capturing voltage between the electrodes during a first period. Further, the control unit maintains the formed particulate layer during a second period. It is noted here that the phrase “maintain the formed particulate layer” includes the meanings “maintaining the formed particulate layer as it is” and “inhibiting control to remove the particulate layer”.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device having a particulate matter sensor which has a pair of electrodes disposed at a distance from each other and measures the amount of particulate matter in a gaseous body, and elimination means for burning and eliminating particulate matter attached to the particulate matter sensor. The control device performs a particulate matter elimination process to judge whether the amount of particulate matter attached to the particulate matter sensor is smaller than a reference particulate matter amount that is predefined as the minimum amount of remaining particulate matter required to bring the pair of electrodes into electrical conduction at one or more spots. When the amount of particulate matter is judged to be smaller than the reference particulate matter amount, the control device causes the elimination means to terminate the particulate matter elimination process.

Abstract: Disclosed is an abnormality determination device capable of checking for abnormal particulate matter detection by a particulate matter detection sensor. The particulate matter detection sensor 10 includes a sensor element section 12, which comes into contact with particulate matter in exhaust gas in an exhaust pipe 6 of an internal combustion engine 2, and changes its output in accordance with the amount of particulate matter attached to the sensor element section 12. A heater for the particulate matter detection sensor 10 is capable of heating the sensor element section 12 to a particulate matter elimination temperature (T3) at which the particulate matter attached to the sensor element section 12 is eliminated from the sensor element section 12. An ECU 50 determines, in accordance with output changes (S1 to S4) occurring in the particulate matter detection sensor 10 during heater control, whether or not the particulate matter detection sensor 10 is abnormal.