Abstract: In an in-cylinder injection spark-ignition internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders and a catalyst device disposed in an exhaust system of the engine, a fuel is injected to at least one selected cylinder selected from the plurality of cylinders to be operated, and subsequently the fuel is injected to all cylinders to be operated. At this time, a warm-up controlled variable for the at least one selected cylinder is smaller than the warm-up controlled variable used when all cylinders are operated. In the in-cylinder injection spark-ignition internal combustion engine, the all cylinder operation is started and the warm-up control is started for all cylinders to warm up the catalyst device disposed in the exhaust system of the engine preferably when a fuel injection pressure exceeds a target value.

Abstract: A method checks the effectiveness of at least one measure (M) for heating a catalytic converter in the exhaust-gas system of an internal combustion engine. A measure (M) is activated and a signal (SA) in the exhaust-gas system of the engine is detected. The signal (SA) is evaluated to determine an index (Tact) for an increase in temperature of the catalytic converter after activating the measure (M). An expectation value (Tmodel) is determined for the increase of the temperature from operating characteristic variables of the engine and a temperature model. The index (Tact) is compared to the expectation value (Tmodel). The measure (M) is evaluated as ineffective when the index (Tact) is clearly less than the expectation value (Tmodel) with the expectation value (Tmodel) having been formed under the expectation of an effective heating measure.

Abstract: An exhaust gas emission control apparatus is provided in an exhaust passage of a hybrid mechanism driven by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The apparatus has an adsorbent that adsorbs unburned fuel contained in exhaust gas when the temperature of the adsorbent is lower than a predetermined temperature, and that releases adsorbed unburned fuel therefrom when the temperature is at least the predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the adsorbent is lower than the predetermined temperature, the apparatus controls the hybrid mechanism to delay an increase in the temperature of the adsorbent.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating the exhaust gas of internal combustion engine comprises an injector, a valve for shutting off the cooling water which flows into a cylinder head, an exhaust manifold increasing the fluidity of the exhaust gas, a close-coupled catalyst (CCC) increasing the activation of a catalyst with high loading operation in case of low temperate, an HC-absorber catalyst including an HC absorber and a TWC catalyst component for removing the HC component in the exhaust gas, and a electrically heated catalyst and a light off catalyst for removing the HC component at high temperate.

Abstract: A control device for a direct injection engine includes an identifier for judging whether a catalyst is in its unheated state in which its temperature is lower than its activation temperature, an engine temperature state detector for sensing the temperature state of the engine, and a fuel injection controller for controlling fuel injection from the injector. The fuel injection controller controls an injector in such a way that it makes at least two-step split injection including an earlier injection cycle performed during an intake stroke and a later injection cycle performed in a middle portion of a compression stroke or later when the catalyst is in its unheated state, and the later injection cycle is retarded when the catalyst is still in its unheated state but the engine temperature has become higher than a specified temperature compared to a case where the temperature of the engine is equal to or lower than the specified temperature.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for internal combustion engine includes exhaust gas purifying catalysts mounted on the upstream and downstream sides of an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, a fuel injector for injection of a desired quantity of fuel into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine in accordance with an engine operating condition, and an ECU. The ECU changes an air-fuel ratio to lean and rich magnitudes by alternately increasing and decreasing the quantity of fuel injection. The lean/rich changeover of the exhaust air-fuel ratio is performed at an interval including a period during which the lean and rich components in the exhaust gas react with the upstream catalyst and a period thereafter during which an unreacted exhaust gas passes through the upstream catalyst.

Abstract: An engine has variable valve timing mechanisms, which are controlled in starting an engine to set valve opening overlap of an intake valve and an exhaust valve around 30° CA. In this case, internal EGR is actively conducted and fuel burning velocity within a cylinder becomes relatively slow and unburned fuel within the cylinder is emitted to an exhaust pipe to be post-burned by firing by itself. Temperature of exhaust gas is maintained high and catalyst converters in the cold state may be activated quickly by actively implementing the post-burning within the exhaust pipe. Further, ignition timing is retarded, an air-fuel ratio is controlled at a slightly lean ratio and the exhaust valve is advanced. The effect of raising the temperature of exhaust gas by the post-burning may be realized more reliably by combining each of these controls.

Abstract: Method of reducing noxious or toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine (10) having a plurality of cylinders (12) cooperating with a crankshaft (13) to cause the crankshaft to rotate at a rotational speed when the cylinders (12) are provided with an air/fuel mixture having a lambda value and the mixture is ignited to generate pressure in the cylinders. The method includes measuring a parameter reflecting the pressure in a first cylinder during at least a part of a working stroke of the first cylinder when supplied with an air/fuel mixture having a first lambda value to thereby obtain a first parametric value. An air/fuel mixture is provided to a second cylinder, which air/fuel mixture has a second lambda value which is different to the first lambda value, to cause the second cylinder to perform a working stroke. A parameter is measured reflecting the pressure in the second cylinder during at least a part of the working stroke of the second cylinder to obtain a second parametric value.

Abstract: A cylinder injection type internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection valve for directly injecting a fuel into a cylinder and a catalyst for cleaning up an exhaust in an exhaust gas and has at least two combustion control patterns for activating rapidly the catalyst. The combustion control patterns are switched over based on a temperature of the catalyst. Furthermore, a stratified combustion is provided at the time of starting by making a configuration of the combustion engine optimum.

Abstract: A method for determining if the driveability index of a fuel being consumed by an internal combustion engine differs from the driveability index of a fuel for which the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine is preset. The method includes the steps of: determining the speed of the engine; determining the load on the engine; determining the actual exhaust gas temperature of the engine; and computing a predicted exhaust gas temperature based on the speed, the load and the preset air-to-fuel ratio of the engine. The actual exhaust gas temperature is compared to the predicted exhaust gas temperature to determine if the difference between the actual exhaust gas temperature and the predicted exhaust gas temperature exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: An in-cylinder injection type internal combustion engine, which includes a main fuel injection control unit that drives a fuel injector to inject fuel directly into a combustion chamber, is provided so that premixed combustion or stratified charge combustion takes place depending upon operating conditions of the engine. The engine further includes an additional fuel injection control unit that drives the fuel injector to inject additional fuel during an expansion stroke after the fuel injector is driven by the main fuel injection control unit, when it is necessary to increase the temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage for purifying exhaust gas. An exhaust manifold includes an exhaust chamber, in which the exhaust gas remains, and the additional fuel that is left unburned is re-burned in the exhaust chamber.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine system includes operating the internal combustion engine system in a desulfurization mode each time following a cold-start of the engine prior to the transition to a normal operating mode. The internal combustion engine system includes (1) an exhaust line; (2) a sulfur-rich exhaust purification component comprising at least two exhaust purification units connected in series in the exhaust line; and (3) a secondary air supply having separate branches for the sulfur-rich exhaust purification units.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improved monitoring of the conversion rate of an exhaust gas catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine. To achieve this, the temperature values determined downstream from the exhaust gas catalytic converter within a given time window is added with time interval (dt). A starting time (tA) and a time interval (dt) are influenced inter alia according to the operating mode of the internal combustion engine by taking into account fuel mass flow during a given time period. The total value arising during time interval (dt) below a curve (25) is compared with a limiting value and an error signal is outputted once a given deviation value is reached.

Abstract: A method of conditioning an automotive catalyst by (a) electrolyzing water on-board the vehicle to derive and store separate quantities of hydrogen and oxygen at pressures in the range of 50-100 psi; (b) immediately upon initiation of engine starting, rapidly transferring stoichiometric proportions of the separated and stored hydrogen and oxygen to a front face location of a catalyst substrate to heat the catalyst substrate by spontaneous catalytic recombination of the hydrogen and oxygen and thereby raise the temperature of the catalyst substrate rapidly to a temperature at which certain emissions can be catalytically converted; (c) complete cranking of the engine to admit emissions laden with CO and HC to the catalyst substrate while continuing to transfer stoichiometric proportions of the hydrogen and oxygen to said front face location for raising the substrate temperature to about 300° C.

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 control system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system provided with a catalyst is provided. The control system comprises a catalyst temperature rise accelerating control in which the intake air amount is increased and the ignition timing is retarded according to the engine rotational speed. A transient control from the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control to the normal control, is started when the speed of a vehicle driven by the engine reaches a predetermined vehicle speed or higher during the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control. During the transient control, the intake air amount is gradually reduced and the ignition timing is set according to the vehicle speed.

Abstract: An engine variable valve timing mechanism is controlled during engine starting to set valve opening overlap of intake and exhaust valves around 30° CA. In this case, internal EGR is actively conducted, fuel burning velocity within a cylinder becomes relatively slow and unburned fuel within the cylinder is emitted to an exhaust pipe to be post-burned. The temperature of exhaust gas is maintained high and catalyst converters in the cold state may be activated quickly by actively implementing such post-burning within the exhaust pipe. Further, ignition timing is retarded, the air-fuel ratio is controlled to a slightly lean ratio and the exhaust valve is advanced. The effect of raising the temperature of exhaust gas by post-burning may be realized more reliably by combining each of these controls.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control system of a hybrid car capable of relieving a load upon an engine fuel injection device by eliminating a use of sub-injection and recovering from S-poisoning as well as purifying an exhaust gas even by eliminating the use of sub-injection. The exhaust emission control system of an internal combustion engine, used for the hybrid car traveled by two types of power sources of a diesel engine and an electric motor, includes a combustion heater as separate body from the engine, a catalyst, provided in an exhaust passageway, for purifying an engine exhaust gas, a combustion gas passageway through which a combustion gas emitted from the combustion heater flows toward the catalyst, and a three-way valve for introducing the combustion gas to the catalyst via the combustion gas passageway or an EGR passageway when the diesel engine is in a stop state and when the electric motor is in a driving state.

Abstract: A device for controlling the rise of the catalyst temperature in an internal combustion engine, capable of quickly raising the catalyst temperature at the start to satisfy the exhaust gas regulations to a sufficient degree.

Abstract: A partial oxidation catalyst is interposed between an exhaust manifold and a catalytic converter in the exhaust system of a gasoline, natural gas, or propane fueled engine. The engine is started from a cold-start and the exhaust gas stream emitted during an initial period of operation after the cold-start has a &lgr; value <1 as a result of a rich combustion mixture provided to the engine during cold-start operation. Hydrocarbons passing through the partial oxidation catalyst during the initial engine operating period are partially oxidized and hydrogen produced as a result of the oxidation process is used to promote faster light-off of the catalytic converter in the exhaust system. Also, hydrocarbon emissions discharged into the surrounding environment are reduced during the initial period following cold-start.

Abstract: An upstream-side catalyst is provided at a location in close to an exhaust manifold of an engine. An HC absorbent and a downstream-side catalyst are installed in series at the downstream side. With the upstream-side catalyst put in an inactive state, the HC absorbent absorbs HC having passing through the upstream-side catalyst. After the upstream-side catalyst has been activated, HC released from the HC absorbent is refluxed to the upstream side of the upstream-side catalyst through a reflux path to be removed by the upstream-side catalyst. At that time, the ECU executes catalyst-early-warming control right after an engine start in order to raise the temperature of the upstream-side catalyst at an early time so as to shorten the time it takes to activate the upstream-side catalyst.

Abstract: A control device for a direct injection engine having a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage for converting exhaust gases and an injector for injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber, includes a temperature state identifier for judging the temperature state of the catalyst, a load condition detector for sensing engine load conditions, and a fuel injection controller for controlling fuel injection from the injector. The fuel injection controller performs quick light-off control operation by causing the injector to inject fuel in one-time injection mode during a compression stroke in a specific low-load operating range of the engine when the catalyst is in its unheated state where its temperature is below its activation temperature, and switching the mode of fuel injection to intake-compression stroke split injection mode in a specific high-load operating range of the engine.

Abstract: A first combustion mode in which an amount of an EGR gas within a combustion chamber is higher than that of the EGR gas when a generated amount of soot reaches a peak and substantially no soot is generated. A second combustion mode in which the amount of the EGR gas within the combustion chamber is lower than that of the EGR gas when the generated amount of soot reaches the peak are selectively performed. A catalyst is disposed within an engine exhaust passage wherein a temperature of the catalyst is adjusted so as to be within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An engine control system for controlling combustion of an internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust gas purifying catalyst. The system controls fuel combustion on the basis of control parameters including air/fuel ratio, ignition timing and intake air flow so as to cause a rise in exhaust gas temperature while an exhaust gas purifying catalyst installed in an exhaust line of the engine is insufficiently warmed or inactive. When a fluctuation of engine speed is detected, the system controls the air/fuel ratio to reach a target value close to a stoichiometric value, for example, a value between 13 and 17, and controls a control parameter other than air/fuel ratio so as to bring the fluctuation of engine speed within limits of stable combustion while the exhaust gas purifying catalyst is insufficiently warmed. The air/fuel ratio feedback control may be commenced immediately after an engine start.

Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.

Abstract: If conditions of stopping an engine are satisfied, it is judged whether the lean operation in which the air-fuel ratio is set to be on a lean side with respect to the theoretical air-fuel ratio is currently performed or not. If the lean operation is currently performed, reduction enrichment of NOx is executed during an enrichment time TRICH, and the engine is thereafter actually stopped.

Abstract: A device for controlling the rise of the catalyst temperature in an internal combustion engine, capable of quickly raising the catalyst temperature at the start to satisfy the exhaust gas regulations to a sufficient degree.

Abstract: A fuel combustion control system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas purifying catalyst installed in an exhaust line therein advances an ignition timing to try to stabilize combustion when a fluctuation of engine speed is larger than a limit speed on stable combustion and further retards an ignition timing to accelerate a rise in catalyst temperature together with securing combustion stability while the engine is still cold or when a fluctuation of engine speed is smaller than the limit speed on stable combustion.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is equipped with an exhaust emission control catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of the engine, air-fuel ratio control means for controlling an air-fuel ratio of at least one of the plurality of cylinders, and an exhaust gas temperature sensor operating as catalyst temperature detection. During a cold start of the engine, the air-fuel ratio control means achieves one of rich-state and stoichiometric operation in all of the cylinders until the temperature of the exhaust emission control catalyst reaches a predetermined temperature. After the temperature of the exhaust emission control catalyst has reached the predetermined temperature, the air-fuel ratio control means starts lean-state operation in a first portion of the plurality of cylinders while maintaining rich-state operation in a second portion of the plurality of cylinders.

Abstract: A method for improving the exhaust gas emissions of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas catalyst, wherein the exhaust gas catalyst is heated after starting the internal combustion engine. Regulation of the power output is performed by the generator or generators during the warm-up phase of the exhaust gas catalyst. The power output of the generator or generators is regulated such that this power output is reduced during a period of time until the exhaust gas catalyst has reached a specific minimum temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine has an amount-of-intake-air control unit for generating a command value for the opening of a flow control valve in an intake passage of the engine, which emits exhaust gases through a catalytic converter, so as to increase an amount of intake air introduced into a combustion chamber by a predetermined quantity greater when the engine operates in an idling mode after it has started to operate than when the engine operates in a normal idling mode, and controlling the opening of the flow control valve based on the generated command value, and an ignition timing control unit for controlling the ignition timing according to a feedback control process to correct the ignition timing so as to be retarded in order to converge the rotational speed of the engine to a predetermined target rotational speed while the amount of intake air is being increased.

Abstract: Disclosed is a quick-heating catalytic converter which allows the reduction of the unwanted emissions or pollutants created by the operation of an internal combustion engine. It comprises a catalytic converter system and an electronic heating catalytic system. In the catalytic converter system, the exhaust created by the operation of an internal combustion engine is oxidized or reduced to harmless emissions in the presence of a catalyst. The electronic heating catalytic converter system is located at a front position of the catalytic converter system and preheats the exhaust, comprising a power inverter circuit for inverting a direct current into an alternating current, a temperature-controlling circuit for controlling the temperature of the catalytic converter system, and a quick microwave heating circuit for quickly increasing the temperature of the catalytic converter within a few seconds to such an extent that the catalyst can readily function to purify the exhaust.

Abstract: Exhaust gas due to combustion is discharged into the atmosphere through a combined catalytic-hydrocarbon adsorbent 20. The combined catalytic-hydrocarbon adsorbent consists of a hydrocarbon adsorbent layer 20A and a three-way catalytic layer 20B. The hydrocarbon adsorbent layer 20A adsorbs hydrocarbons at a lower temperature, and desorbs hydrocarbons at a higher temperature. The three-way catalytic layer 20B purifies hydrocarbons desorbed from the hydrocarbon adsorbent layer 20A. To reduce the amount of hydrocarbons discharged to atmosphere, when the running condition of the engine is in the idling region, the ignition timing is retarded. This retarding of the ignition timing is limited to the time period after the hydrocarbon adsorbent layer 20A begins desorbing hydrocarbons until three-way catalytic layer 20B activates. With this design, the temperature of the combined catalyst-hydrocarbon adsorbent rises rapidly and the amount of hydrocarbon emission is controlled to be minimum.

Abstract: A method (100) and system (10) for controlling the temperature of a first NO.sub.x trap in an aftertreatment system for a variable displacement engine (12). The frequency of switching between first and second cylinder banks (14, 16) of said variable displacement engine (12) controls the temperature of the NO.sub.x trap (18) in order to maintain the temperature within a preferred operating temperature range. A set of control valves (V1, V2, V3) is used to direct the flow of exhaust from alternate cylinder banks (14, 16) through various paths in order to maintain the desired temperature of the first NO.sub.x trap (18). In another embodiment (30), the aftertreatment and method (120) include a second NO.sub.x trap (26) for situations in which both engine banks (14, 16) are run simultaneously.

Abstract: A failure judging device of the present invention is a device for diagnosing a failure of an exhaust purifying apparatus having a purifying catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine, and an adsorbing member for adsorbing an unburned gas component in the exhaust gas. The failure judging device judges a failure on the basis of temperatures of the adsorbing member and the purifying catalyst when oxidating reaction of the unburned gas component occurs in the adsorbing member or the purifying catalyst, i.e., a change in temperature of the adsorbing member or the purifying catalyst distinctly appears.

Abstract: By taking into account the deviation between a desired value, determined from a model for a secondary-air mass flow and an actual value of the secondary-air mass flow, detected by an airflow sensor, a correction value is obtained. From the correction value, together with a main-air mass flow that is present in an intake tract of the internal combustion engine and a pilot control value for an air/fuel ratio, a correction factor for correcting an injection duration is derived.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine has a fuel injection valve for supplying fuel to the engine, a catalytic converter disposed in an exhaust passage of the engine, and an O.sub.2 -sensor for detecting the air-fuel ratio. Before the temperature of the catalytic converter increases to a temperature at which the catalyst is activated, a quantity of unburned fuel present in the exhaust gas is increased by increasing a fuel injection duration within an open intake valve period to a duration Longer than a fuel injection duration within the open intake valve period after activation of the catalytic device.

Abstract: An external reductant for an SCR vehicular NO.sub.x emission control system is selectively injected to SCR catalysts which are only at catalytically active temperatures thereby avoiding reductant absorption in catalytically unactive catalysts and improving conversion response time.

Abstract: In a water-cooled engine comprising a catalyst for purifying exhaust in an exhaust pipe, a catalyst is rendered active at an early stage by arranging an air-fuel ratio of a fuel mixture supplied to the engine to be lean on startup. A catalyst activation water temperature corresponding to full activation of this catalyst is set, and the air-fuel ratio is arranged to be leaner than a theoretical air-fuel ratio during a period from engine startup to when a cooling water temperature reaches the catalyst activation water temperature. After the cooling water temperature reaches the catalyst activation water temperature, the air-fuel ratio is shifted to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. In this way, lean control is optimized to activate the catalyst.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating an exhaust gas stream from cold startup through continuous operating conditions of an internal combustion engine includes an oxidizing catalyst bed disposed in an exhaust pipe and a reducing catalyst bed disposed in the exhaust pipe downstream from the oxidizing catalyst bed. The oxidizing catalyst bed has one or more oxidizing catalysts and the reducing catalyst bed has one or more reducing catalysts. A method is provided for treating an exhaust gas stream both during cold start and during continuous operating conditions of an internal combustion engine by passing the stream through an oxidizing catalyst bed having one or more oxidizing catalysts at a light off temperature; a reducing catalyst bed having one or more reducing catalysts and providing hydrogen into the reducing catalyst bed to condition the reducing catalyst; and introducing hydrogen into the internal combustion engine during cold startup.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an internal combustion engine which discharge exhaust gases through an emission purifier includes a controller which increases the quantity of intake air drawn into the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is idling after the internal combustion engine has started to operate, to a level which is greater by a predetermined increase than the quantity of intake air drawn into the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is idling normally. The controller also generates a command value for ignition timing of the internal combustion engine according to a feedback control process to converge the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine toward a predetermined target rotational speed, and controlling the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine based on the generated command value thereby to retard the ignition timing.

Abstract: A method of purifying the lean exhaust gas of lean mix engines or diesel engines. The exhaust gas is first contacted with a permanent reduction catalyst and subsequently contacted with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst. This procedure yields a uniformly good conversion of pollutants of the exhaust gases under differing operating conditions both as regards the air ratios and the exhaust gas temperatures.

Abstract: In a system for detecting deterioration of an exhaust catalyst, when a catalyst temperature exceeds 150.degree. C., the changing widths of the output voltage of an oxygen sensor downstream of the catalyst are integrated for a predetermined sampling period to determine data .SIGMA.V reflecting the amount of purified gas component, and the deviation of the air/fuel ratio detected by an air/fuel ratio sensor upstream of the catalyst, and a target A/F and an exhaust gas flow rate or an intake flow rate are multiplied so that data .SIGMA.A/F .cndot.Q of the fluctuation of the gas component flowing into the catalyst are determined by integrating the multiplied values. At the instant when the catalyst temperature reaches 550.degree. C., the data .SIGMA.V, as integrated till then, are compared with a deterioration determining value, as set according to the data .SIGMA.A/F.cndot.Q, to determine whether the catalyst is deteriorated.

Abstract: The invention is a depollution system and a depollution processor for eliminating pollutants from exhaust gas from spark-ignition internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reducing harmful emissions in the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine which may be a Diesel engine or an Otto engine operated by a lean fuel air mixture. The exhaust gases are subjected to a catalytic treatment for oxidizing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and the exhaust gases are throttled to increase their temperature under operative conditions of heat deficiency such as at cold start. The exhaust gases are subjected to an additional catalytic treatment for reducing nitrogen oxides in a deoxidation means. The throttling of the exhaust gases is controlled such that the temperature of the exhaust gases will be within a predetermined temperature range at which said deoxidation means is operative.

Abstract: In an initial predetermined period of time for supplying electric power to the electrically heated catalyst mounted on the vehicle, a maximum of electric power is supplied from the power source to simplify the complex heat control operation. Simultaneously with starting of the engine, the electrically heated catalyst is connected to the power source to start supplying the electric power, and a maximum electric power permitted by the power source is supplied for a first predetermined period of time after which the electrically heated catalyst is just about to be activated. After the first predetermined period of time has passed, the electric resistance of the electrically heated catalyst is measured until a second predetermined period of time elapses.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an electrically-heated catalytic converter and a secondary air supply device. The converter is electrically heated with a predetermined delay after the secondary air supply device starts supplying fresh air to exhaust gases of the engine. This prevents the increase of an intake air flow due to the no-delay electric heating of the converter, and therefore the thermal reactor effect of the secondary air supply device is ensured.

Abstract: A direct injection engine including, an ignition plug projected into a combustion chamber, an injector for injecting a fuel directly into the combustion chamber, a catalyst provided in an exhaust gas passage for cleaning an exhaust gas, a temperature senisor for detecting a coolant temperature condition of the catalyst, a control unit, for receiving signals from the sensor to determine that the catalyst is lower than an activation temperature when the engine coolant temperature is lower than a predetermined value, for calculating a fuel injection timing and fuel injection amount from the injector to form a fuel rich combustion gas mixture around the ignition plug equivalent to or richer than a combustion as mixture having a theoretical air fuel ratio and a fuel lean combustion as mixture leaner than the combustion as mixture having the theoretical air fuel ratio in an area surrounding said area of the fuel rich combustion gas mixture when it is determined that the temperature of the catalyst is lower than an

Abstract: An exhaust gas heating system for an in-cylinder injection internal combustion engine is disclosed. The system includes a fuel injection device for injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the engine, a spark plug for subjecting fuel, which has been injected as primary fuel from the injection device, to spark ignition such that the primary fuel undergoes primary combustion, an exhaust gas purification device arranged in an exhaust passage of the engine, a purification device temperature computing unit for determining a temperature of the purification device by detecting or estimating the temperature of the purification device, and an additional fuel injection control unit for controlling the injection device when the purification device is found to require activation from the temperature determined by the computing unit, such that an injection of fuel as additional fuel is performed during a flame lasting duration that a flame of the primary combustion remains.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine employs fuel injectors positioned to inject fuel directly into combustion chambers of the engine, and an electronic engine controller (EEC) to control operation of the engine. The EEC implements a cold start routine which controls the amount of fuel injected, the time at which the fuel is injected and spark timing to achieve a rapid increase in temperature of the engine and the exhaust system components, thereby decreasing tailpipe hydrocarbon emissions during cold start.