Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the discontinuous burning off of carbon deposited on the heat-resistant exhaust gas filter of an internal combustion engine, particularly a diesel internal combustion engine. At least one metal must be present during this process. The problem of ensuring the combustion of the carbon at the minimum temperature and of achieving a long filter life, is solved in a particularly advantageous manner through the use of an organic complexing agent able to form a complex with the metal and/or an organo-metallic complex compound of the metal with the organic complexing agent.The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the inventive process. For this purpose, the exhaust gas filter preferably has at least two, at least temporarily separately operable filter units.

Abstract: The invention relates to a means and a method for removing soot in an exhaust gas filter of an internal combustion engine, more especially a diesel engine, by reducing the ignition temperature during the operation of the internal combustion engine. For this purpose, the ignition is brought about by the addition of at least one oxidizing agent. A plurality of particles of at least one combustible substance may also be caused to flow or burn, and the particles may be passed through the exhaust gas stream to the filter, so that the soot layer is ignited.

Abstract: A method of removing soot from the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, especially of the diesel-type, using an exhaust filter which collects the soot and a dosing device which, when triggered by a pressure switch and a series-connected temperature switch, injects a dose of a combustion-inducing substance onto the soot layer with the aid of compressed air. The combustion-inducing substance consists of CuCl and NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 which are stored as a mixture in a single container or as separate ingredients in two containers.

Abstract: A method and device for removing soot from the exhaust gases of a diesel-type internal combustion engine, using a soot filter in the exhaust line and a dosing device which injects a dose of a combustion-inducing substance, for example CuCl, into the soot filter by means of compressed air. The soot-combusting process is initiated automatically, in response to a critical exhaust pressure level and the simultaneous presence of a suitable temperature in the soot filter, using a pressure switch and a series-connected thermal switch. Compressed air, flowing through a bypass line, scavenges the supply line of the combustion-inducing substance, while supplying additional oxygen for the soot combustion process.