Abstract: Exhaust emission control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine maintain a small amount of sulfur components contained in exhaust gas flowing out of a sulfur component retainer agent even if the amount of sulfur components retained by the agent becomes great. The exhaust emission control apparatus includes a NOx retainer agent and the sulfur component retainer agent. The apparatus performs a NOx releasing process of adjusting the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the sulfur component retainer agent so that the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the NOx retainer agent becomes substantially stoichiometric or rich of stoichiometry if NOx retained by the NOx retainer agent is to be released. The apparatus prohibits the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the sulfur component retainer agent from becoming substantially stoichiometric or rich of stoichiometry if the amount of the sulfur components retained by the agent is at least a first predetermined amount.

Abstract: There is provided an exhaust gas purification device (22) comprising a substrate used for purifying components contained in an exhaust gas discharged from an engine. The substrate has partitions (54) which define passages (50,51) and are formed of porous material having fine pores each having a predetermined average size. The end portions of the adjacent partitions (54) defining each of part of the passages (50,51) of the substrate are partially connected to each other such that the end portions (52,53) are tapered toward the outside of the substrate. The tapered end portions partially close the end opening of the corresponding passage and form a small hole (55,56) defined by the tips thereof. The size of each small hole (55,56) is smaller than the cross sectional area of the corresponding passage (50) and larger than the sizes of the fine pores of the partitions (54).

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) for removing particulates included in an exhaust gas discharged from a combustion chamber (5) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. The particulate filter has wall partitions (54) which the exhaust gas can pass through. The particulates included in the exhaust gas are removed by oxidation in the interior of the partitions. The particulates are fluidized in the interior of the partitions.

Abstract: A catalyst (22) suitable for reduction of the NOx in an exhaust gas by ammonia in the presence of excess oxygen is arranged in the exhaust passage (18, 21) of an internal combustion engine. An aqueous urea solution is fed through a flow control valve (33) to the inside of the exhaust passage (21) upstream of the catalyst (22). When the temperature of the catalyst (22) is low, a large amount of the aqueous urea solution is fed to make the urea contained in the aqueous urea solution be stored in the catalyst (22). When the engine is accelerated and the temperature of the catalyst (22) rises, ammonia is released at a little at a time from the inside of the catalyst (22) and the NOx in the exhaust gas is reduced by the released ammonia.

Abstract: A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine includes a particulate filter carrying an active-oxygen releasing agent that can cause the sulfur poisoning, a SOx trap unit arranged upstream of the particulate filter, and a bypass section for making the exhaust gas mainly bypass said particulate filter when SOx is released from the SOx trap unit. Further, an exhaust choke valve for an exhaust brake is arranged between the SOx trap unit and the exhaust gas branch portion of the bypass section.

Abstract: A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The device includes a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system, which carries a catalyst for absorbing and reducing NOx. The catalyst absorbs NOx when the air-fuel ratio in the surrounding atmosphere thereof is lean and releases the absorbed NOx to purify NOx by reduction when the air-fuel ratio is stoichiometric or rich. The device further includes a catalytic apparatus for purifying NOx arranged in the exhaust system upstream of the particulate filter, which has an oxidation function.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus, for an engine having a combustion chamber, comprising an exhaust passage, a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust passage for removing particulate in exhaust gas exhausted from the combustion chamber by oxidation, and a device for controlling the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter, wherein, when the judging means judges that the particulate filter will be deteriorated by heat, the controlling device changes the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter to prevent the particulate filter from being deteriorated by heat.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus, for an engine having a combustion chamber, comprising an exhaust passage, a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust passage for removing particulate in exhaust gas exhausted from the combustion chamber by oxidation, and a device for controlling the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter, wherein, when the judging means judges that the particulate filter will be deteriorated by heat, the controlling device changes the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter to prevent the particulate filter from being deteriorated by heat.

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. Whether the particulate deposited on the particulate filter (22) has changed in property to a property harder to oxidize compared with right after deposition is predicted or judged. When the fact that the particulate deposited on the particulate filter (22) has changed in property to a property harder to oxidize compared with right after deposition is predicted or judged, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter (22) is switched temporarily from lean to rich.

Abstract: This invention relates to an exhaust gas purifying apparatus having a particulate filter for collecting particulates in exhaust gas. This particulate filter (22) contains partition walls defining paths (50, 51) in which exhaust gas flows. This partition wall is formed of porous material. This particulate filter (22) is created by gathering tips of the partition walls and then baking with the adjacent partition walls being in contact with each other. The adjacent partition walls are bonded together at a predetermined bonding strength if the partition walls are baked such that they are in contact. According to this invention, the end portion of the particulate filter (22) has a higher strength than the predetermined bonding strength.

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) is arranged in an exhaust passage of an engine. When an amount of discharged particulate discharged from a combustion chamber (5) per unit time exceeds an amount of particulate removable by oxidation which can be removed by oxidation on the particulate filter (22) per unit time without emitting a luminous flame, at least one of the amount of discharged particulate and the amount of particulate removable by oxidation is controlled so that the amount of discharged particulate becomes smaller than the amount of particulate removable by oxidation, whereby the particulate in the exhaust gas can be continuously removed by oxidation on the particulate filter (22) without emitting a luminous flame.

Abstract: There are proposed a diesel particulate filter being small in the pressure loss in the deposition of soot and high in the filtering efficiency and a ceramic sintered body constituting a main body thereof and a method of producing the same. The porous ceramic sintered body constituting the diesel particulate filter has communicated pores consisting of large pores 21 and small pores 22. The large pores are existent on at least surface layer portion of the sintered body, and the small pores 22 have a size relatively smaller than that of the large pore 21 and are existent on the surface layer and inside of the sintered body. Also, NOx occlusion catalyst is carried on the surface of the ceramic sintered body and the inner surfaces of the communicated pores.

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) carrying an active oxygen release agent which takes in oxygen and holds oxygen when excess oxygen is present in the surroundings and releases the held oxygen in the form of active oxygen when the concentration of oxygen in the surroundings falls is arranged in an exhaust passage of an engine. The air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter (22) is normally maintained lean and is occasionally switched to rich temporarily. When the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is switched to rich, an oxidation reaction of the particulate on the particulate filter is promoted by the active oxygen released from the active oxygen release agent. Due to this, the particulate in the exhaust gas is continuously removed by oxidation on the particulate filter (22) without emitting a luminous flame.

Abstract: Disclosed is an input/output coupling structure for a dielectric waveguide resonator to be mounted on a printed circuit board, which comprises; a region defined in the printed circuit board and surrounded by a first conductive film formed on the front surface of the printed circuit board and connected to a microstrip line on the printed circuit board, a second conductive film formed on the back surface of the printed circuit board, and a conductive wall connecting the respective peripheries of the first and second conductive films; a first slot formed in the front surface of the region; and a second slot formed in a surface of the dielectric waveguide resonator which is disposed to be opposed to the region of the printed circuit board. The first and second slots are adapted to be disposed in opposed relation to one another.

Abstract: A reducing agent for use in an internal combustion engine is a mixture of an ammonia-derived solid reducing material and a water-insoluble liquid in which the solid reducing agent is immersed. A reducing-agent supply device is provided for supplying a denitration catalyst with the reducing agent, such that the reducing agent is introduced into a portion of an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine which is upstream of the denitration catalyst.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a substrate used for purifying an exhaust gas is provided. This method comprises the step of transforming a pre-mold having a first end, a second end, a plurality of partition walls extending between the first end and the second end, the first transforming step for transforming the end portions of the partition walls at the first end in such a manner that the ends of the partition walls defining one of two adjacent passages at the first end of the pre-mold are collected toward the center of a corresponding passage and connected to each other, and the second transforming step for transforming the ends of the partition walls at the first end in such a manner that the end surfaces of the partition walls at the first end are depressed toward the center of each of the end surfaces.

Abstract: Exhaust emission control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine maintain a small amount of sulfur components contained in exhaust gas flowing out of a sulfur component retainer agent even if the amount of sulfur components retained by the agent becomes great. The exhaust emission control apparatus includes a NOx retainer agent and the sulfur component retainer agent. The apparatus performs a NOx releasing process of adjusting the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the sulfur component retainer agent so that the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the NOx retainer agent becomes substantially stoichiometric or rich of stoichiometry if NOx retained by the NOx retainer agent is to be released. The apparatus prohibits the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the sulfur component retainer agent from becoming substantially stoichiometric or rich of stoichiometry if the amount of the sulfur components retained by the agent is at least a first predetermined amount.

Abstract: An exhaust emission purification device comprises a sulfur component holding agent arranged on the exhaust path of an internal combustion engine for holding a sulfur component, a NOx holding agent arranged downstream of the sulfur component holding agent in the exhaust gas for holding NOx and the sulfur components when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing thereinto is lean, and a reducing agent adding unit for adding a reducing agent to the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx holding agent. The concentration of the sulfur component contained in the reducing agent added by the reducing agent adding unit is lower than the concentration of at least the sulfur component contained in the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. Thus, the sulfur poisoning of the exhaust emission purifier can be avoided while at the same time reducing the fuel consumption rate.

Abstract: An exhaust purifying method and apparatus of an internal combustion engine are provided with an exhaust switch valve for switching a flow of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust filter. By switching the exhaust switch valve, the exhaust gas is fed from one side and the other side of the filter, thereby stirring the soot (particulates) in the exhaust gas deposited on the filter having a NOx absorbent and an active-oxygen discharging agent supported thereon. Thus, the soot in the exhaust gas is continuously burned. Moreover, the switching of the exhaust switch valve and the rich spike are inhibited from being conducted simultaneously. In the case where the rich spike is conducted in order to discharge and reduce NOx absorbed in the NOx absorbent, the exhaust gas containing a large amount of HC and CO can be prevented from being discharged into the atmosphere without being purified.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification device of an engine comprising a particulate filter arranged in an exhaust passage. An electric motor able to impart a vehicle drive power separate from the engine and able to generate electric power from the engine is provided. After the particulate filter finishes being warmed up, when the temperature of the particulate filter is low, the output torque of the engine is increased and the amount of increase of the output torque is consumed by the power generating action of the electric motor.