Abstract: The NOx storage catalyst and the NOx selective reduction catalyst are arranged in the engine exhaust passage. In the engine low load operating region, a combustion is performed in the combustion chamber under a lean base air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber is made rich when NOx should be released from the NOx storage catalyst. In the engine medium load operating region, the base air-fuel ratio is made smaller, a degree of richness of the air-fuel ratio is made smaller, and a period in which the air-fuel ratio is made rich is made shorter so that an amount of ammonia which is produced per unit time when the air-fuel ratio is made rich falls compared with the time of engine low load operation.

Abstract: A three-way catalyst (20) having an oxygen storage function and an exhaust purification catalyst (22) are arranged in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. During medium-load operation of the engine the degree of lean of the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (5) is increased so as to increase the oxygen storage amount of the three-way catalyst (20) to the maximum oxygen storage amount, and the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (5) even after the oxygen storage amount of the three-way catalyst (20) has reached the maximum oxygen, storage amount is maintained at lean, after which the air-fuel ratio is returned to rich, and at this time, as the amount of poisoning of a noble metal catalyst when the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (5) is rich increases, the amount of time for which the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (5) is maintained at lean is increased.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein an exhaust purification catalyst and hydrocarbon feed valve are arranged in an engine exhaust passage and wherein the NOX which is contained in the exhaust gas is removed by injection of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon feed valve by a predetermined period. Hydrocarbons are injected from the hydrocarbon feed valve toward the upstream side of the engine exhaust passage. When hydrocarbons are injected from the hydrocarbon feed valve by a predetermined period, the injection pressure of the hydrocarbons is made to gradually fall from injection start to injection end in the injection time period of each injection.

Abstract: The NOx storage catalyst and the NOx selective reduction catalyst are arranged in the engine exhaust passage. In the engine low load operating region, a combustion is performed in the combustion chamber under a lean base air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber is made rich when NOx should be released from the NOx storage catalyst. In the engine medium load operating region, the base air-fuel ratio is made smaller, a degree of richness of the air-fuel ratio is made smaller, and a period in which the air-fuel ratio is made rich is made shorter so that an amount of ammonia which is produced per unit time when the air-fuel ratio is made rich falls compared with the time of engine low load operation.

Abstract: A three-way catalyst and an NOx adsorption catalyst are disposed in an engine exhaust passage. In a predetermined low-load engine operation area, combustion in a combustion chamber is carried out at a lean base air-fuel ratio and an air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber is changed to a rich range at the time of discharging NOx from the NOx adsorption catalyst. In a predetermined high-load engine operation area, the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber is controlled to a theoretical air-fuel ratio in a feedback manner. In a predetermined middle-load engine operation area, the combustion in the combustion chamber is carried out at the base air-fuel ratio lower than the base air-fuel ratio in the low-load engine operation area and the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber is changed to the rich range with a period shorter than a rich period of the air-fuel ratio for discharging NOx in the low-load engine operation area.