Abstract: A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine having a catalytic converter are described making it possible to heat the catalytic converter more quickly. An additional load of the internal combustion engine is applied to heat the catalytic converter.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which can determine just enough amounts of demanded combustion fuel and auxiliary fuel during execution of auxiliary fuel supply, for improvement of fuel economy and drivability and the emission-reducing capability of a catalyst. The control system carries out auxiliary fuel supply for a cylinder during a predetermined time period within the expansion and exhaust strokes, to control the catalyst to a predetermined state for its emission-reducing capability. The control system calculates a whole demanded fuel amount to make oxygen concentration in exhaust gases equal to a predetermined value for controlling the catalyst to the state during auxiliary fuel supply, determines the amount of demanded combustion fuel to be supplied to obtain engine output, and determines the auxiliary fuel amount based on the difference between the whole demanded fuel amount and the demanded combustion fuel amount.

Abstract: A power system is provided having a power source operationally coupled to a generator. The power system also includes an exhaust passage having at least one after-treatment device configured to release exhaust from the power source into the atmosphere. In addition, a controller is configured to determine at least one exhaust passage condition indicative of an exhaust temperature and operate the generator in response to the determination.

Abstract: A low temperature lean NOx catalyst is configured in a diesel exhaust treatment system upstream of a fuel reformer-LNT system to provide low temperature performance. During system warm-up and anytime the LNT falls below an effective operating temperature, the exhaust aftertreatment system is provided with hydrocarbons at a rate proportional to the exhaust NOx flow rate, whereby NOx is reduced over the lean NOx catalyst. Optionally, the lean NOx catalyst is also adapted for use warming up the fuel reformer and or catalyzing NO to NO2 conversion. These concepts allow the reformer and LNT to be designed for high temperature performance and durability without also having to be adapted for NOx mitigation at the exhaust system's lowest temperatures.

Abstract: A diesel engine (1) comprises an exhaust passage (3), and a DPM filter (4) provided on the exhaust passage (3), which traps diesel particulate matter (DPM) contained in the exhaust gas such that the diesel particulate matter accumulates therein. An engine controller (11) starts regeneration processing of the DPM filter (4) by raising the exhaust gas temperature when a regeneration timing of the DPM filter (4) is reached, sets a target exhaust gas temperature during regeneration processing to ensure that the temperature of the DPM filter (4) does not exceed an upper temperature limit of the DPM filter (4), even when the temperature of the DPM filter (4) is raised due to the engine (1) entering an idling condition during the regeneration processing, and controls the exhaust gas temperature to the target exhaust gas temperature.

Abstract: A plant control system using response specifying control that makes it possible to independently set a follow-up behavior for an output value of a plant when a target output value of the plant changes and a convergent behavior for a difference between a target output value and an output value when the output value of the plant changes. The control system has a controller for determining a clutch stroke on the basis of a model equation of a clutch device such that a target rotational speed and an actual rotational speed of the clutch device coincide with each other. The controller includes a target value filter for carrying out filtering computation on a target rotational speed to calculate a filtering target value that converges to the target rotational speed with a response delay, and a response specifying control unit that determines the clutch stroke by response specifying control such that the filtering target value and the clutch rotational speed coincide with each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus of operating a drive system comprising an engine and an exhaust gas purification unit containing a catalyst, where the engine emits an exhaust gas having an exhaust gas temperature and the catalyst has a catalytic activity for the purification of the exhaust gas. In the method, an aging-induced decrease in the catalytic activity of the catalyst is compensated at least part of the time by increasing the exhaust gas temperature of the engine.

Abstract: An engine emissions diagnostic is disclosed that utilizes parameters correlating to catalyst temperature to identify when an indication of degraded performance may be generated.

Abstract: A turbine temperature control (TTC) system for regulating operation of an engine to control a temperature of a forced air induction device. The system includes a sensor that is responsive to an exhaust gas temperature and that generates a signal. A control module determines a temperature based on the temperature signal and compares the temperature to a threshold temperature. The control module regulates operation of the engine to decrease the temperature when the temperature exceeds the threshold temperature.

Abstract: In a temperature control system of a plant such as an engine exhaust system, there are provided a catalyst heat model calculating a temperature estimated value of the plant, a temperature sensor model inputting the calculated value to calculate an output estimated value of a temperature sensor, a temperature controller controlling the plant temperature based on the estimated value, and a model parameter corrector correcting the plant model parameter so as to minimize error between the temperature sensor output and the calculated output estimated value. With this, even in the case where the temperature sensor has a large response lag, the temperature estimated value can nevertheless be corrected with high accuracy, without, for example, causing severe overshooting.

Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor for detecting oxygen concentration in exhaust gas is disposed in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine. The sensor including a heater is controlled by a system that includes an electronic control unit. Water vapor contained in the exhaust gas is condensed on the sensor when the exhaust gas temperature is low. If the water condensation occurs while the sensor is heated by the heater, a sensor element may be cracked due to local cooling by the condensed water. To avoid the water condensation, the exhaust gas temperature is raised by retarding ignition timing of the engine for a certain period after the engine is started. After the exhaust gas is heated to a certain level, the sensor is heated. Alternatively, heating of the sensor is prohibited until the exhaust gas temperature becomes to a level at which no water condensation occurs. Thus, the cracking of the sensor element is avoided while making a delay of sensor activation minimal.

Abstract: An exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system has an air pump that supplies air upstream from an exhaust purifying catalyst, disposed in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, the pump supplying air when the exhaust purifying catalyst is being warmed up. The exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system also has an atmospheric pressure sensor that detects the atmospheric pressure, wherein correction is performed so that the degree of fuel increase is smaller, the higher is the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure sensor.

Abstract: In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and a method for operating a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, cylinders are assigned an exhaust line and, in each case, a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve which are used for the charge cycle. At least one of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine has an additional outlet valve through which, in the opened state, a flow connection can be established between the combustion chamber and the exhaust line. At least one of an exhaust gas composition and an exhaust gas temperature is changed compared to the normal operating mode, and regeneration of the exhaust gas cleaning unit can be set in conjunction with a regeneration operating mode for regenerating an exhaust gas cleaning unit which is arranged in the exhaust line by activating the additional outlet valve of at least one cylinder.

Abstract: A method for rapidly heating an emission control device in an engine exhaust uses excess air added to the exhaust via an air introduction device. After an engine cold start, the engine is operated to raise exhaust manifold temperature to a first predetermined value by operating the engine with a lean air-fuel ratio and retarded ignition timing. Once the exhaust manifold reaches the predetermined temperature value, the engine is switched to operate rich and air is added via the air introduction device. The added air and rich exhaust gas burn in the exhaust, thereby generating heat and raising catalyst temperature even more rapidly. The rich operation and excess air are continued until either engine airflow increases beyond a pre-selected value, or the emission control device reaches a desired temperature value. After the emission control device reaches the desired temperature, the engine is operated substantially around stoichiometry.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for reducing exhaust gases in an initial cold start period, in which a main catalyst unit is connected to an engine through an exhaust pipe, including the steps of receiving signals for stopping engine operation from an engine, and removing engine exhaust gases remaining in an exhaust pipe located at an inlet of a main catalyst unit.

Abstract: The ignition timing is sustained at an initial value during a predetermined time beginning at a start of an engine, and is retarded after the predetermined time is elapsed to heat a catalyst at an early time. The predetermined time ends when the negative pressure of an intake pipe or the negative pressure of a brake booster reaches to a predetermined value. That is, the predetermined time is a period, which begins at a start of the engine and ends when a proper negative pressure can be sustained in the brake booster. As a result, it is possible to assure a negative pressure in the brake booster at an early time and to reduce exhaust emission at a start of the engine simultaneously.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hybrid vehicle controlling device and method of using the device, in which an engine torque proportion (which is transmitted from an engine to a driving shaft) of a total sum of torque transmitted to the driving shaft is calculated. An allowed surge torque value, which is an upper limit of a surge torque allowed to the engine, is set to a larger value as the engine torque proportion is reduced. Then a predetermined parameter of the engine is changed so that the engine is controlled in a range in which the surge torque of the engine does not go beyond the allowed surge torque value.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an in-cylinder injection valve and an intake passage injection valve. A control apparatus of the engine determines whether the temperature of a component located in the exhaust passage is higher than or equal to a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the component is higher than or equal to the predetermined temperature, the control apparatus increases, without changing the total amount of fuel supplied to the cylinder, the ratio of a fuel injection amount of the intake passage injection valve to a fuel injection amount of the in-cylinder injection valve compared to a case where the temperature of the component is not higher than or equal to the predetermined temperature. Therefore, the catalyst is reliably prevented from being overheated, while preventing the fuel economy from deteriorating.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for estimating engine power output for an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain that includes an electric motor and an electric generator. Selected powertrain variables, including electric motor torque and electric generator torque, are used in determining desired vehicle traction wheel torque and an estimated engine power. A calibrated delay in calculating estimated engine power following a time sampling of the values for motor torque and generator torque avoid inertial effects.

Abstract: A method for estimating the sulfur content in the fuel of an internal combustion engine equipped with a catalyser; the percentage of sulfur present in the fuel supplied during a specific measurement time interval is estimated by dividing the quantity of sulfur stored in the catalyser during the measurement time interval by the product of a fixed conversion constant and the mass of fuel supplied to the cylinder in the measurement time interval.

Abstract: A plant control system provides an enhanced capability of compensation for disturbance that abruptly changes. A controller includes a disturbance predictor for calculating a predicted value of disturbance on the basis of a drag force of a release spring and an assisting force of a compensation spring that are predicted on the basis of a clutch stroke, an adaptive disturbance observer for calculating an estimated value of disturbance on the basis of the estimated value of disturbance, a voltage to be applied to a motor, and the clutch stroke, and a sliding mode controller, which determines the voltage to be applied to the motor by carrying out control for making the clutch stroke follow a clutch stroke target value by determining the voltage to be applied to the motor by sliding mode control on the basis of the clutch stroke, the predicted value of disturbance, and the estimated value of disturbance.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an in-cylinder injection valve and an intake passage injection valve. A control apparatus of the engine determines whether a catalyst located in an exhaust passage is in an overtemperature condition. When the catalyst is determined to be in the overtemperature condition, the control apparatus controls the injection valves to increase the amount fuel supplied to the cylinder compared to a case where the catalyst is determined not to be in the overtemperature condition. The control apparatus sets a mode for causing the injection valves to increase the amount of supplied fuel according to an operational state of the engine. For example, in a case where the component is determined to be in the overtemperature condition when the engine is operating in a fuel injection mode in which fuel is injected at least from the in-cylinder injection valve, at least the intake passage injection valve performs fuel injection for increasing the supplied fuel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can make a determination on fuel property with high accuracy without causing a cost increase. The control apparatus for the internal combustion engine includes: an intake air amount control unit for controlling an intake air amount of the engine; an ignition timing control unit for controlling an ignition timing of the engine; a catalyst heat-up control unit for increasing the intake air amount after cold start of the engine and performing control for retarding the ignition timing; an air-fuel ratio detecting unit for detecting an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas in the engine; and a fuel property determining unit for making a determination on fuel property through a comparison between a parameter value calculated from the air-fuel ratio and a preset reference value when the catalyst heat-up control unit performs the control for retarding the ignition timing.

Abstract: A control system for an engine that drives an alternator includes a first module that reduces an alternator load when the engine is cranked. A second module determines a desired exhaust energy rate (EER) of the engine. The first module regulates the alternator load based on the EER during an idle period to reduce engine emissions during a cold start period.

Abstract: Normally, at the time of cold-start of an internal combustion engine or the like, the flow of exhaust in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine is suppressed or two-stage combustion is carried out so as to promote exhaust purification in an exhaust system. However, when a correlation value of a braking force required to be generated by a vacuum type brake booster is greater than a correlation value of a braking force that can be actually generated by the vacuum type brake booster, a restricting device restricts the suppression of the exhaust flow or a two-stage combustion prohibiting device prohibits the two-combustion.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control system for a vehicle including a primary engine and a secondary engine having a displacement smaller than that of the primary engine is provided with an exhaust passage having a junction portion at which exhaust gas discharged from the primary engine and exhaust gas discharged from the secondary engine join together, and an exhaust emission purifying device that purifies the exhaust gas joined at the junction portion in the exhaust passage.

Abstract: A warm-up system is provided for an internal combustion engine equipped with a CO2 absorbing and releasing agent that absorbs CO2 at a temperature in a first temperature range and releases the CO2 at a temperature in a second temperature range that is higher than the first temperature range. The warm-up system increases a temperature of the CO2 absorbing and releasing agent to reach the second temperature range such that the CO2 released from the CO2 absorbing and releasing agent is supplied to a component of the internal combustion engine such as an intake manifold and an exhaust gas purification catalyst.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of reducing exhaust emissions during and after the start of the engine. A control system is capable of changing the valve-closing timing of intake valves relative to the valve-opening timing thereof as desired using a variable intake valve actuation assembly. The control system includes an ECU. The ECU sets a target auxiliary intake cam phase to a start value that sets the valve-closing timing of the intake valves to retarded-closing timing, during starting of the engine, and to a catalyst warmup value that sets the same to timing closer to timing in the Otto cycle operation, during catalyst warmup control after the start of the engine.

Abstract: A controller for cylinder cut-off for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine including a partially operable cylinder that can be cutoff by a cut-off cylinder mechanism provided therewith and a full operating cylinder that is not cut off, the controller for cylinder cut-off including a partially operable cylinder side catalyst temperature estimating section, a full operating cylinder side catalyst temperature estimating section, and a cylinder cut-off authorization determining section for determining whether to authorize or prohibit a cut-off of the partially operable cylinder based on a partially operable cylinder side catalyst temperature estimated by the partially operable cylinder side catalyst temperature estimating section: and a full operating cylinder side catalyst temperature estimated by the full operating cylinder side catalyst temperature estimating section.

Abstract: A method for rapidly heating an emission control device in an engine exhaust uses excess air added to the exhaust via an air introduction device. After an engine cold start, the engine is operated to raise exhaust manifold temperature to a first predetermined value by operating the engine with a lean air-fuel ratio and retarded ignition timing. Once the exhaust manifold reaches the predetermined temperature value, the engine is switched to operate rich and air is added via the air introduction device. The added air and rich exhaust gas burn in the exhaust, thereby generating heat and raising catalyst temperature even more rapidly. The rich operation and excess air are continued until either engine airflow increases beyond a pre-selected value, or the emission control device reaches a desired temperature value. After the emission control device reaches the desired temperature, the engine is operated substantially around stoichiometry.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which power is generated by burning a mixture of fuel supplied from a port injector and/or an in-cylinder injector and air in a combustion chamber, includes a valve drive mechanism which can change a valve opening characteristic of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve; a turbocharger which supercharges air taken into the combustion chamber; a turbo motor which changes supercharging pressure generated by the turbocharger; a catalyst device including a catalyst which purifies exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chamber; and an ECU which controls the turbo motor such that pressure of the air taken into the combustion chamber becomes larger than back pressure until it is determined that the catalyst has been activated, and which sets a valve overlap period during which both of the intake valve and the exhaust valve are opened.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling operation of an engine coupled to an exhaust treatment catalyst. Under predetermined conditions, the method operates an engine with a first group of cylinders combusting a lean air/fuel mixture and a second group of cylinders pumping air only (i.e., without fuel injection). In addition, the engine control method also provides the following features in combination with the above-described split air/lean mode: idle speed control, sensor diagnostics, air/fuel ratio control, adaptive learning, fuel vapor purging, catalyst temperature estimation, default operation, and exhaust gas and emission control device temperature control. In addition, the engine control method also changes to combusting in all cylinders under preselected operating conditions such as fuel vapor purging, manifold vacuum control, and purging of stored oxidants in an emission control device.

Abstract: A method for heating up a catalytic converter in internal combustion engines having gasoline direct injection is presented and has the steps: shifting the ignition toward retard; checking whether the charge of the cylinders with air exceeds a pregiven threshold; and, dividing the fuel injection into two component quantities which are injected in advance of the ignition when the air charge exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A method to control valves in a cylinder operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode. Valves are controlled to improve engine emissions as operating conditions vary.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying system for an engine, including a HC trap catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage and operative to trap HC contained in the exhaust gas, and a control unit being programmed to: upon activating the HC trap catalyst after the engine is started, control a target excess air ratio to a preset value smaller than a normal value to which the target excess air ratio is controlled when the HC trap catalyst is activated, to thereby rise an exhaust gas temperature; and increase the target excess air ratio as the temperature of the HC trap catalyst rises, to thereby increase a heat quantity generated upon oxidation of the HC trapped by the HC trap catalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to the heating of an exhaust gas catalyst arranged on an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection, variable valve drive and a blower device, whereby, after recognition of a cold start for the internal combustion engine, by means of a device, the valve lift (VH) and the valve overlap (VO) for the gas exchange valves and the position of a throttle valve, arranged in the inlet tract of the internal combustion engine are adjusted to give a positive pressure drop between the inlet side and the exhaust side of the internal combustion engine such that at least a part of the air pumped by the blower device is pumped directly from the inlet to the outlet side of the internal combustion engine into the exhaust line as flushing air. Optimal reaction conditions are thus obtained in the exhaust gas catalyst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus controls an internal combustion engine of a vehicle in which an exhaust purifying catalyst capable of storing oxygen is provided in an exhaust system of the engine. The internal combustion engine is adapted to be temporarily stopped when a predetermined condition for stopping the engine is satisfied, and resumes its operation when the predetermined condition is eliminated. The internal combustion engine is operated so as to reduce an amount of oxygen stored in the exhaust purifying catalyst during a temporary stoppage of the engine, before fuel starts being burned for resuming the operation of the engine.

Abstract: A control for diagnosing a catalytic converter in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine having means for determining the catalytic converter temperature is presented. The diagnostic method is carried out in dependence upon the catalytic converter temperature. In the diagnosis, only such results are used which have been determined below a threshold value for the catalytic converter temperature.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device of an internal combustion engine includes fuel injection valve control means which calculates a basic fuel injection flow rate which becomes a target air-fuel ratio corresponding to an engine operation state and performs a driving control of the fuel injection valve, a fuel pressure sensor which detects a fuel pressure in the inside of the pressure storage chamber, a discharge amount control valve for controlling a fuel amount supplied to the pressure storage chamber from the high-pressure pump, and fuel pressure control means which controls the discharge amount control valve such that the fuel pressures in the inside of the pressure storage chamber agrees with a preset target fuel pressure, wherein the fuel injection control device includes fuel increase correction means which increases the basic fuel injection flow rate in a state that a rotational speed of the engine falls in a given preset rotational speed region where the minimum discharge flow rate of the high-pressure pu

Abstract: The invention proposes a system (16) for treating the exhaust gases (G) of a motor vehicle combustion engine (10), particularly a lean-burn diesel engine or engine, comprising a burnt gas (G) exhaust circuit (14), of the type in which the exhaust circuit (14) comprises a burnt gas (G) ionization system (22), characterized in that the exhaust circuit (14) comprises an ionized air injection system (24) upstream and/or downstream of the burnt gas (G) ionization system (22).

Abstract: In elevating the exhaust gas temperature for conducting the sulfur contamination-removing operation for a NOx occluding and reducing catalyst, a motor/generator is driven by the electric power from a battery while operating an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle to produce a low output, and the wheels are driven via the internal combustion engine, power change-over mechanism and transmission. A motor assist is effected for increasing the output of the motor/generator during a period in the expansion stroke in each cylinder of the engine to increase the engine rotational speed during the above period only. Then, the exhaust valve is opened before the combustion is completed in the cylinder, and the exhaust gas temperature is raised.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling hydrocarbon injection into engine exhaust to reduce NOx. The method and system inject the hydrocarbon into the engine exhaust in accordance with detection of a light-off event. The light-off event can be detected because when there is this hydrocarbon-O2 reaction, such reaction is an exothermic reaction and thus heat is generated and given off. The generation of such heat may be detected by measuring the difference in temperature across the catalyst. The peak in NOx conversion efficiency temperature changes with age. However, because the peak in NOx conversion efficiency temperature occurs at substantially the same light-off temperature, a determination of light-off by the system and method enables adjustment in the hydrocarbon injection level for maximum NOx reduction efficiency.

Abstract: A diagnostic system in which the accuracy of the diagnosis of the deterioration state of a catalyst in a catalytic converter for cleaning the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is enhanced without incurring a rise in cost. The temperature of the catalyst is estimated using the operating-state signal (for example, the flow rate of intake air or the width of a fuel injection pulse) of the engine by a diagnostic device. The conversion efficiency of the catalyst calculated from the outputs of oxygen sensors is corrected using the estimated temperature by the diagnostic device. The deterioration state of the catalyst is diagnosed on the basis of the corrected temperature by the diagnostic device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the exhaust emissions during the cold start of an internal combustion engine (3). According to the method, a starter motor (4) is operated in parallel with the internal combustion engine (3) until the operating temperature of an exhaust gas catalytic converter (1) is reached, to thereby relieve the power demand on the internal combustion engine and thereby to minimize the production of pollutants. The heating of catalytic converter (1) can preferably be accelerated by retarded spark timing, by a delayed shift in automatic transmission (6) and/or by an electrical heater coupled to catalytic converter (1).

Abstract: This feature of the present invention comprises a method and apparatus to retard the spark time. As a result, the catalyst heats up quickly during the cold start. The retard spark control method of the present invention uses a closed loop to adjust the engine retard limit during an engine cold start to retard the engine spark as much as possible without engine misfire and with minimum partial burn. The increased exhaust temperature heats up the catalyst more quickly than conventional open loop approaches, which as a result, reduces hydrocarbon emissions. The closed loop retard spark control using ionization current feedback consists of four major components or functions, an error and gain generator, a proportional and integration control processing block, a default spark timing processor, and an adaptive learning apparatus.

Abstract: An operating method for an internal combustion engine is described, especially for a motor vehicle, in which, in a first operating mode, fuel is injected preferably for heating a catalytic converter and, in at least one further operating mode, into a combustion chamber. In order to prevent a sudden change in the torque produced by the internal combustion engine during the switchover from/to the first operating mode, a distribution factor influencing torque is taken into account in an actual branch and/or in a setpoint branch of controller of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle to reduce exhaust emissions is provided. The vehicle includes an engine, a motor, a battery for operating the motor, and a catalyst for reducing exhaust gas emissions. The vehicle is operated in a first mode when at least one predetermined condition is met. The first mode includes providing at least some of the desired vehicle output power with the motor. The engine is operated to quickly increase the temperature of the catalyst when the output power from the battery is within a first predetermined range. When the output power of the battery is outside the first predetermined range, the operation of the engine is adjusted to drive battery operation into the first predetermined range. When the at least one predetermined condition is not met, the vehicle is operated in a second mode based at least partly on driver demand and battery requirements.

Abstract: A variable flow regulator assembly includes a first stationary exhaust pipe, a second stationary exhaust pipe concentrically disposed within the first stationary exhaust pipe, and a movable exhaust pipe concentrically disposed between the first and second stationary exhaust pipes. The first stationary exhaust pipe includes one or more interference tabs concentrically and circumferentially fitted about its interior surface. The movable exhaust pipe includes one or more interference tabs concentrically and circumferentially fitted about its exterior surface. The interference tabs complimentarily interact and restrict the movement of the variable flow regulator so that the flow maldistribution of the exhaust gas stream entering the catalytic converter can be variably controlled.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for at least temporarily increasing an exhaust gas temperature of a spark-ignition, direction injection internal combustion engine (10) involving at least one measure, which is executed by the engine, whereby this at least one measure consists of a spark retarding and of a multiple injection (ME). During the multiple injection (ME), at least two fuel injections into the cylinder (12) are carried out within an induction cycle and compression cycle of a cylinder (12) of the internal combustion engine (10), and the latest of these injections ensues during a compression cycle of the cylinder (12). The invention also relates to the utilization of the method.

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 as 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.