Abstract: Nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are used to remove the nitrogen oxides present in the lean exhaust gas of lean-burn engines. Storage catalysts are thermally aged by high temperatures. Ageing is due to sintering of the catalytically active noble metal components of the catalyst and to formation of compounds of the storage components with the support materials. According to the invention, the formation of compounds of the storage materials can be largely reversed by treatment of the storage material with a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide, optionally water vapor and optionally nitrogen oxides at temperatures in the range from 200° C. to 950° C., preferably from 300° C. to 700° C. The reactivation can be carried out under emission-neutral conditions directly in the vehicle during driving operation by setting of suitable exhaust gas conditions and regulating the air/fuel ratio.

Abstract: A cost effective process is presented for carrying out catalytic, in particular also exothermic, endothermic or autothermal reactions with optimum yield and selectivity. The system used is a wall-flow monolith which forces a flow from the inlet channel through the porous wall into the outlet channel by reciprocal closure of the gas channels. This is operated such that mass transfer and heat transport are determined virtually exclusively by convection, and diffusion-related thermal conduction phenomena can be neglected.

Abstract: The invention proposes a particulate filter having a catalytic coating which contains two catalysts arranged one behind the other. The first catalyst is located in the gas inlet region of the filter and contains a palladium/platinum catalyst. The second catalyst is arranged downstream of the first catalyst and preferably contains platinum alone as catalytically active component. The combination of these two catalysts provides the coated filter with a good ageing stability and resistance to sulphur poisoning.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system (method and device) for the treatment of diesel exhaust gases containing nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons is disclosed, which comprises the addition of ammonia or of a compound decomposable to ammonia into the exhaust gas stream and the subsequent leading of the exhaust gas stream over two successively arranged SCR catalysts with different properties and compositions. Both SCR catalysts are free of vanadium compounds and only the downstream SCR catalyst contains zeolite compounds. The exhaust gas purification system according to the invention is characterized by good “kick-off” behavior at low temperatures and a simultaneously high conversion performance over a wide temperature range.

Abstract: A diesel particulate filter with an oxidation catalyst comprising platinum and palladium deposited thereon is described. Addition of HC storage components to the oxidation catalyst allows the conversion of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to be improved significantly.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converters for purifying the exhaust gas of lean-burn engines are periodically regenerated by switching the engine from lean-burn mode to rich-burn mode. After regeneration has taken place, the engine is switched back to lean-burn mode. At this time, rich exhaust gas is still flowing in the exhaust line from the engine to the catalytic converter, which rich exhaust gas is ejected via the catalytic converter into the environment by the following, lean exhaust gas. This leads to brief emissions peaks of the rich exhaust gas constituents and impairs the level of exhaust gas cleaning which can be obtained. In order to solve said problem, it is proposed to create oxidizing conditions by injecting air upstream of the storage catalytic converter, so that the rich exhaust gas constituents still flowing in the exhaust line upstream of the storage catalytic converter can be converted at the storage catalytic converter to form non-harmful products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst comprising on a honeycomb carrier a catalytic coating. Said honeycomb carrier has an upstream end and a downstream end and a plurality of flow channels are running from the upstream end to the downstream end. The catalytic coating comprises catalytically active precious metal components of which at least one component exhibits a concentration profile along the honeycomb carrier starting with a low concentration at the upstream end which increases along the flow channels up to a maximum value and then decreases again to the downstream end.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for determining the light-off temperature of a catalytic converter on board a vehicle. The aging condition of the catalytic converter is determined by means of the method. To test the catalytic converter, the latter is loaded for example with a CO/HC test pulse. During the combustion of the additional CO and HC on the catalytic converter, an axial temperature profile is generated. The position of the maximum of said temperature profile along the catalytic converter is dependent on the current light-off temperature. The temperature profile travels through the catalytic converter and can be measured at the outlet of the catalytic converter as a time-dependent profile. The original axial temperature profile can be inferred from the time-dependent profile. Using a calculation program, the current light-off temperature of the catalytic converter on the vehicle can be determined.

Abstract: When a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is being regenerated, the regeneration may be terminated for example as a result of a premature load change in the engine, which can lead to incomplete emptying of the storage catalyst. The residual filling level which remains in the catalyst following an incomplete regeneration of this nature is used as the starting value for calculation of the filling level during the next storage phase. After incomplete regeneration, the nitrogen oxide conversion rate is initially greater than would be expected, on account of the residual filling level. By taking this increased conversion rate into account when calculating the filling level during the storage phase, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of the calculation.

Abstract: To remove the nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas from lean-burn engines, these engines are equipped with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst, which has to be regenerated frequently by the engine being briefly switched to rich-burn mode. The regeneration is usually initiated when the nitrogen oxide concentration downstream of the catalyst rises above a permissible value. In this context, there is a risk of the bed temperature of the catalyst during and after regeneration being pushed into a range with incipient thermal desorption of the nitrogen oxides on account of the heat which is released during the conversion of the nitrogen oxides by the reducing constituents of the exhaust gas. This can lead to increased nitrogen oxide emission both during the regeneration itself and after the engine has been switched back to lean-burn mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the coating of a catalyst support with a catalytically active coat using a coating dispersion, the catalyst support containing at least two partial structures which differ in their absorptivity for the coating dispersion. The process is characterized in that the absorptivity of the partial structures is modified relative to one another by precoating of the catalyst support with a material which can be burnt out or with liquid, and the catalytic coat is then applied to the filter body in a known manner, dried and/or calcined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst arrangement for purifying the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines operated under lean conditions. It is proposed that a thinwalled, porous carrier be coated on one side with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst and on the other side with an SCR catalyst. When the exhaust gas is passed through the catalytic coatings and the support material, a significant improvement in the nitrogen oxide conversion is achieved compared to a series arrangement of the catalysts on separate carriers. Wall flow filters have been found to be useful as thin-walled carriers.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are used to remove nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines operated predominantly under lean burn conditions. When these catalysts are used in diesel vehicles, the increased sulfur content in the fuel during operation results in poisoning of the catalyst, which is reversible at high temperatures under reduced exhaust gas conditions. In the case of conventional nitrogen oxide storage catalysts, temperatures of more than 600° C. have to be obtained for desulfurization. This is not always possible in diesel vehicles with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst in the underbody area. The invention presents a process whose application allows the desulfurization temperature of conventional nitrogen oxide storage catalysts which comprise a platinum component and at least one nitrogen oxide storage material to be lowered. The basicity of the chemical environment of the platinum is lowered, while the nitrogen oxide storage material can remain unchanged as such.

Abstract: In exhaust gas purification units for decreasing nitrogen oxides in lean-burn exhaust gas of internal combustion engines by selective catalytic reduction by means of ammonia, introduction of excess ammonia leads to undesirable emissions of unused ammonia. These emissions can be decreased by means of ammonia barrier catalysts. In the ideal case, ammonia is oxidized to nitrogen and water by these catalysts. These require additional space in the exhaust gas purification unit which may have to be taken away from the space provided for the SCR main catalyst. In addition, the use of such ammonia barrier catalysts can result in overoxidation of the ammonia to nitrogen oxides. To overcome these disadvantages, a catalyst containing two superposed layers is proposed for the removal of nitrogen-containing pollutant gases from diesel exhaust gas. The lower layer contains an oxidation catalyst and the upper layer can store at least 20 milliliters of ammonia per gram of catalyst material.

Abstract: When a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is being regenerated, the regeneration may be terminated for example as a result of a premature load change in the engine, which can lead to incomplete emptying of the storage catalyst. The residual filling level which remains in the catalyst following an incomplete regeneration of this nature is used as the starting value for calculation of the filling level during the next storage phase. After incomplete regeneration, the nitrogen oxide conversion rate is initially greater than would be expected, on account of the residual filling level. By taking this increased conversion rate into account when calculating the filling level during the storage phase, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of the calculation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of operating a catalyst for treating the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, the catalyst comprising, in addition to catalytically active noble metals, also storage components for storing hydrocarbons. During engine operating phases at low exhaust-gas temperatures, such a catalyst stores the hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas without burning them. When the exhaust-gas temperature rises, these hydrocarbons are desorbed again and then oxidized at the catalytically active noble metals. This process can lead to uncontrolled, vigorous combustion of the hydrocarbons stored on the catalyst and, therefore, damage to the catalyst. According to the invention, this damage is avoided by continuously calculating the respective loading of the storage components with hydrocarbons and repeatedly regenerating the storage components depending on the loading by temporarily raising the exhaust-gas temperature before damage to the catalyst can occur.

Abstract: To adhere to legal exhaust-gas regulations, the exhaust gases of a lean-burn engine must be freed from soot particles and nitrogen oxides. It is proposed that the cylinders of the lean-burn engine be divided into two groups which discharge their exhaust gases into two associated exhaust lines which each comprise a soot filter and which are merged at an opening-in point into a common exhaust line. The common exhaust line comprises the catalytic converter for the removal of the nitrogen oxides. By regenerating the two soot filters at different times, the exhaust-gas temperature in the common exhaust line is limited to a mean temperature between the exhaust-gas temperature of normal operation and that of regeneration operation, and the catalytic converter for the removal of the nitrogen oxides is preserved.

Abstract: A diesel particulate filter with an oxidation catalyst comprising platinum and palladium deposited thereon is described. Addition of HC storage components to the oxidation catalyst allows the conversion of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to be improved significantly.

Abstract: Lean burn engines require an exhaust gas system comprising nitrogen oxide storage catalysts for removal of nitrogen oxides from their exhaust gases. When the lean burn engine is operated with a sulphur-containing exhaust gas, the storage catalysts have to be desulphurized from time to time. During the desulphurization, there is the risk of high pollutant emissions. These emissions can be reduced when the cylinders of the lean burn engine are combined in two groups which release their exhaust gas to two assigned exhaust legs, in each of which is arranged at least one nitrogen oxide storage catalyst. The two exhaust legs are combined beyond the storage catalysts to form a common exhaust leg which contains a catalyst which possesses a three-way function under stoichiometric conditions. The two nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are desulphurized offset in time with respect to one another.

Abstract: A catalytically active diesel particulate filter with ammonia trap action is presented, which, in addition to an oxidation-active coating (2), comprises a coating (1) which is catalytically active in the SCR reaction. By means of this inventive diesel particulate filter, it is possible to make exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for removing nitrogen oxides and particulates from the exhaust gas of lean engines considerably simpler and less expensive.