Abstract: Process and device for operating an internal combustion engine with less pollutant emission, whose exhaust gas is subjected to an electrical aftertreatment during engine operation to convert pollutants, the emissions of which are measured. To improve a process with the features mentioned initially, so that on the one hand the desired reduction of emissions of the internal combustion engine is achieved during its entire time of operation, but on the other hand so that the design of the electrical system of the internal combustion engine does not have to be unreasonably large and thus costly, the electrical aftertreatment of the exhaust gas occurs only during the portion of the operating time during which emission peaks occur.

Abstract: A filter system for removing particulates from exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine, having at least one filter member formed by filter channels in the configuration of a honeycomb, and made of porous filter material, in which the region of the inlet openings of the filter channels open on the gas intake side, electrical resistance looped heating elements being arranged that are connected via a lead-in and a lead-out to a power supply. A positive positioning of the heating elements and their connections is assured and false contacts, such as short-circuits, are avoided. The resistance heating elements are connectd to a support element connected to the power supply, and the position of the support element can be adjusted three-dimensionally while maintaining a maximum distance of about 30 mm. from the surface of the filter member at its gas intake side.