U.S. patent application number 11/596539 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-01 for exhaust gas control apparatus for internal combustion engine.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Isamu Gotou, Takeshi Hashizume, Hiroyuki Tominaga.
Application Number | 20070251223 11/596539 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38647015 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070251223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hashizume; Takeshi ; et
al. |
November 1, 2007 |
Exhaust Gas Control Apparatus for Internal Combustion Engine
Abstract
An exhaust gas control apparatus (1) according to the invention
is applied to a diesel engine (2) including a turbocharger (10).
The exhaust gas control apparatus (1) includes an upstream side
oxidation catalyst (13) which is provided down-stream of a turbine
(10b) of the turbocharger (10); a downstream side oxidation
catalyst (14) which is provided downstream of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst (13); a particulate filter (15) which is
provided downstream of the downstream side oxidation catalyst (13);
and an injector (5) which supplies fuel required for a filter
recovery process for oxidizing and removing particulate matter
accumulated in the particulate filter (15). The capacity of the
upstream side oxidation catalyst (13) is set such that a space
velocity (SV) during idling of the internal combustion engine (2)
is equal to or lower than 175,000 (l/h).
Inventors: |
Hashizume; Takeshi;
(Mishima-shi, JP) ; Gotou; Isamu; (Suntou-gun,
KR) ; Tominaga; Hiroyuki; (Susono-shi, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
1, Toyota-Cho
Toyota-Shi
JP
471-8571
|
Family ID: |
38647015 |
Appl. No.: |
11/596539 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
July 7, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB05/01927 |
371 Date: |
November 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/299 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 3/035 20130101;
F01N 13/009 20140601; F02D 41/029 20130101; F02D 41/086
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/299 |
International
Class: |
F01N 3/00 20060101
F01N003/00 |
Claims
1. An exhaust gas control apparatus applied to an internal
combustion engine including a turbocharger, comprising: an upstream
side oxidation catalyst which is provided downstream of a turbine
of the turbocharger; a downstream side oxidation catalyst which is
provided downstream of the upstream side oxidation catalyst; a
particulate filter which is provided downstream of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst; and fuel supply device which supplies fuel
required for a filter recovery process for oxidizing and removing
particulate matter accumulated in the particulate filter, wherein a
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is set such that a
space velocity during idling of the internal combustion engine is
equal to or lower than 175,000 (l/h).
2. The exhaust gas control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is set such
that the space velocity during idling of the internal combustion
engine is equal to or higher than 58,000 (l/h).
3. The exhaust gas control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is
one-thirtieth to one-fifth of a capacity of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst.
4. The exhaust gas control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is
one-thirtieth to one-fifth of a capacity of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to an exhaust gas control apparatus
for an internal combustion engine.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] There is a known exhaust gas control apparatus for an
internal combustion engine, which includes an oxidation catalyst
and a particulate filter that is provided downstream of the
oxidation catalyst and that traps particulate matter in exhaust
gas, and which supplies fuel (HC) from a position upstream of the
oxidation catalyst, thereby oxidizing and removing the particulate
matter trapped in the particulate filter. Such a technology is
disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication
No. JP(A) 60-43113. There is another known exhaust gas control
apparatus for an internal combustion engine. In this exhaust gas
control apparatus, a first oxidation catalyst, which has a capacity
smaller than that of a second oxidation catalyst that oxidizes the
particulate matter, is provided upstream of the second oxidation
catalyst, and the capacity the first oxidation catalyst having the
smaller capacity is set such that a SV value (space velocity)
during idling is equal to or higher than 50,000 (l/h). Such a
technology is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No.
2874472. Also, technologies related to the invention are disclosed
in Japanese Patent No. 3012249 and Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. JP (A) 2004-44509.
[0005] In the exhaust gas control apparatus disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application Publication No. JP(A) 60-43113, the temperature
of the exhaust gas flowing in the oxidation catalyst is decreased
due to heat release in an exhaust passage. As a result, the bed
temperature of the oxidation catalyst may not be increased to a
target temperature required for a filter recovery process. Even
when the first oxidation catalyst having the smaller capacity is
provided upstream of the second oxidation catalyst, as disclosed in
Japanese Patent No. 2874472, if the capacity is not appropriate,
the temperature of the exhaust gas (hereinafter, referred to as the
"exhaust gas temperature" where appropriate) may not be
sufficiently increased, and therefore the target temperature may
not be achieved. In the related technologies, therefore, the region
where the filter recovery process can be performed is limited to a
region where the exhaust gas temperature is high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide an exhaust gas
control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which makes it
possible to increase a region where a filter recovery process can
be performed such that the filter recovery process can also be
performed at lower loads of the internal combustion engine.
[0007] An exhaust gas control apparatus according to an aspect of
the invention is applied to an internal combustion engine including
a turbocharger. The exhaust gas control apparatus includes an
upstream side oxidation catalyst which is provided downstream of a
turbine of the turbocharger; a downstream side oxidation catalyst
which is provided downstream of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst; a particulate filter which is provided downstream of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst; and fuel supply means for
supplying fuel required for a filter recovery process for oxidizing
and removing particulate matter accumulated in the particulate
filter. The capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst (13)
is set such that a space velocity (SV) during idling of the
internal combustion engine (2) is equal to or lower than 175,000
(l/h).
[0008] When fuel (HC) required for the filter recovery process is
supplied by the fuel supply means, the temperature of the exhaust
gas flowing in the upstream side oxidation catalyst is increased
due to an oxidation reaction of the HC, and the exhaust gas whose
temperature has been increased flows in the downstream side
oxidation catalyst provided downstream of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst. In this case, when the capacity of the upstream
side oxidation catalyst is made excessively small (the space
velocity is made excessively high), even if the fuel supply amount
is increased, the exhaust gas temperature is increased by only an
amount corresponding to the small capacity of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst. Therefore, the exhaust gas temperature cannot
be sufficiently increased by the downstream side oxidation
catalyst. As a result, particulate matter may not be effectively
oxidized and removed. According to the aspect of invention,
however, the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is
appropriately set such that the space velocity (SV) during idling
of the internal combustion engine is equal to or lower than 175,000
(l/h). It is therefore possible to increase the region where the
filter recovery process can be performed such that the filter
recovery process can also be performed at lower loads of the
internal combustion engine, while minimizing the capacity of the
upstream side oxidation catalyst. Note that the space velocity in
the aspect of the invention is a ratio of an amount of gas flowing
in the catalyst per hour (h) to the capacity of the catalyst.
[0009] In the aspect of the invention, the upstream side oxidation
catalyst is provided downstream of the turbine of the turbocharger.
It is therefore possible to avoid problems which may be caused by
providing the upstream side oxidation catalyst upstream of the
turbine, for example, deterioration of supercharging response due
to insufficiency of an amount of heat supplied to the turbine, and
heat deterioration of the catalyst due to exposure of the catalyst
to a high temperature (equal to or higher than 700.degree. C.).
[0010] In the exhaust gas control apparatus according to the aspect
of the invention, the capacity of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst may be set such that the space velocity (SV) during idling
of the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than 58,000
(l/h). As the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
becomes larger, the exhaust gas temperature can be made higher.
However, as the exhaust gas temperature becomes higher, the amount
of heat release (heat loss) increases. As a result, the bed
temperature of the downstream side oxidation catalyst may not be
increased to the target temperature. According to the aspect of the
invention, however, such a problem can be avoided.
[0011] With the above-mentioned exhaust gas control apparatus, it
is possible to increase the region where the filter recovery
process can be performed such that the filter recovery process can
also be performed at lower loads of the internal combustion engine.
Note that the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst may
be one-thirtieth to one-fifth of a capacity of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The above-mentioned embodiment and other embodiments,
objects, features, advantages, technical and industrial
significance of this invention will be better understood by reading
the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of
the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a diesel engine to
which an exhaust gas control apparatus according to the invention
is applied;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a graph showing a change in exhaust gas
temperature in each of three cases where upstream side oxidation
catalysts having three levels of capacities are provided;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a graph showing a result of a temperature
increasing performance test conducted on a comparative example in
which the upstream side oxidation catalyst is not provided;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a graph showing a result of a temperature
increasing performance test conducted under conditions that the
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is set such that a
SV is 300,000 (l/h) at an engine rotational speed of 1200 rpm;
and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a graph showing a result of a temperature
increasing performance test conducted under conditions that the
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst is set such that a
SV is 500,000 (l/h) at an engine rotational speed of 1200 rpm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0018] In the following description, the present invention will be
described in more detail in terms of exemplary embodiments.
[0019] FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a diesel engine
(hereinafter, simply referred to as an "engine") 2 to which an
exhaust gas control apparatus 1 according to the invention is
applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the engine 2 is a reciprocating
four-cylinder engine. The engine 2 includes a cylinder block 4 in
which cylinders 3 are formed, injectors 5 which are provided for
the respective cylinders 3, and an intake passage 6 and an exhaust
passage 7 which are connected to the cylinder block 4. The
injectors 5 are connected to a common rail 8, and inject fuel,
which has been supplied to the common rail 8 under pressure by a
pressure pump (not shown) and then stored in the common rail 8, to
the respective cylinders 3. An engine control unit (ECU) 9 controls
an amount of fuel injected by the injectors 5, fuel injection
timing, and the like.
[0020] A compressor 10a of a turbocharger 10, an intercooler 11
which cools the intake air flowing downstream of the compressor
10a, and a throttle valve 12 which adjusts an intake air amount are
provided in the intake passage 6 from the upstream side toward the
downstream side. A turbine 10b of the turbocharger 10, an upstream
side oxidation catalyst 13, a downstream side oxidation catalyst
14, and a particulate filter (hereinafter, simply referred to as a
"filter", where appropriate) 15 are provided in the exhaust passage
7 from the upstream side toward the downstream side. Each of the
upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 and the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14 promotes oxidation reaction of HC. The filter
15 traps particulate matter in exhaust gas. The filter 15 may be
coated with a catalytic substance, for example, platinum (Pt) that
promotes oxidation reaction of HC. If an amount of particulate
matter accumulated in the filter 15 exceeds a permissible limit,
clogging occurs. In order to avoid clogging, the accumulated
particulate matter needs to be removed such that the function of
the filter 15 is recovered. Accordingly, the exhaust gas control
apparatus 1 causes the injectors 5 to perform in-cylinder
injection, for example, post injection and fuel injection at the
upper dead point (VIGOM injection), thereby supplying fuel (HC) in
the exhaust passage 7. Thus, oxidation reaction with heat
generation is promoted in the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13
and the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14, and therefore the
temperature of the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust passage 7
increases. The exhaust gas control apparatus 1 performs a filter
recovery process in which the particulate matter accumulated in the
particulate filter 15 is oxidized and removed by using the increase
in the exhaust gas temperature. In this case, the injectors 5 serve
as fuel supply means according to the embodiment of the invention.
The ECU 9 performs various types of controls such as control of a
fuel supply amount required for the filter recovery process and
control of start timing/end timing of the filter recovery process.
The ECU 9 may perform these controls according to known and
arbitrarily employed control methods.
[0021] Each of a carrier 131 of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 and a carrier 141 of the downstream side oxidation
catalyst 14 supports a catalytic substance, for example, platinum
(Pt), which promotes oxidation reaction of HC. The carrier 131 is
housed in a casing 132 such that both end surfaces of the carrier
131 face the exhaust passage 7. The carrier 141 is housed in the
casing 142 such that both end surfaces of the carrier 141 face the
exhaust passage 7. The structure and the material of each of the
carriers 131 and 141 may be arbitrarily employed. In the
embodiment, a metal carrier having a honeycomb structure, with
which clogging does not occur easily, is employed. In order to
reinforce the catalytic function of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13, the amount of Pt supported by the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 per unit capacity thereof is made larger than
the amount of Pt supported by the downstream side oxidation
catalyst 14 per unit capacity thereof. More particularly, the
amount of Pt supported by the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13
is approximately 5 g per liter (5 g/L), which is two to five times
as large as the amount of Pt supported by the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14. The capacity of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 is set to be smaller than the capacity of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14. The capacity of the upstream
side oxidation catalyst 13 is set such that the space velocity (SV)
during idling of the engine 1 is a value equal to or lower than
175,000 (l/h).
[0022] Preferably, the capacity of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 is made as small as possible from the viewpoints of a
fitting space, cost, and the like. However, if the capacity of the
upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is made excessively small, the
exhaust gas temperature cannot be increased sufficiently.
Accordingly, the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing in the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 may not be increased to a
temperature at which the catalytic function of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14 is realized (light-off temperature). As a
result, the bed temperature of the downstream side oxidation
catalyst 14 may not be increased to the target temperature required
for the filter recovery process. Therefore, the region where the
filter recovery process can be performed is limited to an operation
region where the exhaust gas temperature is high. Accordingly, in
the embodiment, the capacity of the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 is decided based on the temperature changes shown in
FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a reference character "A" indicates the exhaust
gas temperature at an outlet of the turbocharger 10, a reference
character "B" indicates the exhaust gas temperature at an outlet of
the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13, a reference character "C"
indicates the exhaust gas temperature at an inlet of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14, and a reference character "D" indicates
the bed temperature of the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14
(refer also to FIG. 1).
[0023] As shown by a heavy solid line L1 in FIG. 2, when the
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is excessively
small, a temperature decrease amount .DELTA.T2 of the exhaust gas,
which is an amount of decrease in the exhaust gas temperature
caused between the outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 and the inlet of the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14, is
larger than a temperature increase amount .DELTA.T1 of the exhaust
gas, which is achieved by the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13.
As a result, the exhaust gas temperature becomes lower than a
light-off temperature T1 for the downstream side oxidation catalyst
14 before the exhaust gas reaches the inlet of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14. Therefore, the exhaust gas temperature is
not sufficiently increased in the downstream side oxidation
catalyst 14. In contrast to this, as shown by a dashed line L2 in
FIG. 2, when the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 is set to a value in the optimum range (i.e., when the upstream
side oxidation catalyst having a medium capacity is employed), a
temperature increase amount .DELTA.T3 is substantially equal to a
temperature decrease amount .DELTA.T4. Therefore, the exhaust gas
temperature becomes higher than the light-off temperature T1, and
the exhaust gas temperature can be increased to the target
temperature by the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14. If the
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is a value in
the optimum range, a decrease in the exhaust gas temperature caused
between the outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 and
the inlet of the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 can be
compensated. Preferably, the capacity of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 is set to be as small as possible. Hereafter,
the lower limit of the capacity (the upper limit of the SV) will be
described.
[0024] Each of FIGS. 3 to 5 indicates the result of the temperature
increase performance test. This test is performed at various
amounts of fuel injected by the injector 5. In this test, post
injection is performed so as to inject fuel in the cylinders 3,
under the conditions that the exhaust gas temperature is
260.degree. C. at the outlet of the turbocharger 10, and the
rotational speed of the engine 1 is 1200 rpm-25 Nm. FIG. 3
indicates the result of test conducted on a comparative example in
which the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is not provided.
FIGS. 4 and 5 indicate the results of tests conducted on the
examples in which the upstream side oxidation catalysts having
different capacities are provided. In each of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the
horizontal axis indicates the amount of fuel injected by the post
injection (mm.sup.3/st), and the vertical axis indicates the
exhaust gas temperatures (.degree. C.), which are obtained at the
inlet and the outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13,
and the exhaust gas temperature obtained at the inlet of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 and the bed temperature
(.degree. C.) of the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14, for the
respective fuel injection amounts. The exhaust gas temperature at
the inlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 in FIG. 3
indicates the exhaust gas temperature obtained at the position
corresponding to the inlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 in each of FIGS. 4 and 5. The exhaust gas temperature at the
outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 in FIG. 3
indicates the exhaust gas temperature obtained at the position
corresponding to the outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 in each of FIGS. 4 and 5. The curved line with a rightward arrow
indicates the result of test in which the fuel injection amount is
increased. The curved line with a leftward arrow indicates the
result of test in which the fuel injection amount is decreased.
[0025] As is clear from FIG. 3, when the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 is not provided, heat of the exhaust gas is released
through the exhaust passage 7 while the exhaust gas flows from the
outlet of the turbocharger 10 to the inlet of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14. Accordingly, the exhaust gas temperature
cannot be maintained at a temperature equal to or higher than the
light-off temperature for the downstream side oxidation catalyst
14. Therefore, the bed temperature of the downstream side oxidation
catalyst 14 cannot be increased to a temperature equal to or higher
than the target temperature (600.degree. C. in the embodiment) at
which the particulate matter can be sufficiently oxidized in the
filter 15, even if the fuel injection amount is increased so as to
increase the fuel supply amount. Accordingly, the filter recovery
process can be performed only in the operation region where the
exhaust gas temperature is sufficiently high (for example, the
region where the exhaust gas temperature is equal to or higher than
280.degree. C.).
[0026] In contrast to this, in the case shown in FIG. 4, the
exhaust gas temperature is increased by the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13. Therefore, the exhaust gas temperature is equal to or
higher than the light-off temperature at the inlet of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14. Accordingly, performing post
injection at an appropriate fuel injection amount (10 mm.sup.3/st)
makes it possible to increase the bed temperature of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14 to the target temperature at which the
filter recovery process can be performed. Thus, the region where
the filter recovery process can be performed can be increased such
that the filter recovery process can be also performed at lower
loads. FIG. 4 shows the result of test conducted under conditions
that the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is set
such that the space velocity (SV) in the upstream side oxidation
catalyst 13 is 300,000 (l/h). FIG. 5 shows the result of test
conducted under conditions that the capacity of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 is set to be smaller than that in FIG. 4 (the
SV is set to be higher than that in FIG. 4). More particularly, the
SV is 500,000 (l/h) in FIG. 5. As is clear from FIG. 5, the exhaust
gas temperature can be increased to some extent by the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14 until a fuel injection amount becomes a
certain value (4 or 6 mm.sup.3/st). However, if the fuel injection
amount exceeds the certain value, the amount of HC supplied to the
upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 exceeds the amount of HC that
can be caused to react with the particulate matter by the upstream
side oxidation catalyst 13, and therefore the exhaust gas
temperature at the outlet of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 decreases. Accordingly, the bed temperature of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14 cannot be increased to the target
temperature, and the filter recovery process cannot be performed.
Based on the above-mentioned test results, preferably, the capacity
of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is set such that the SV
is equal to or lower than 300,000 (l/h) at the engine speed of 1200
rpm. In terms of the SV during idling of the engine 1 (at the
engine rotational speed of 700 rpm), preferably, the capacity of
the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 is set such that the SV is
equal to or lower than 175,000 (l/h).
[0027] The upper limit of the capacity of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 (the lower limit of the SV) may be
arbitrarily set in consideration of the amount of increase in the
exhaust gas temperature which is achieved by the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 and the amount of decrease in the exhaust gas
temperature which is caused between the outlet of the upstream side
oxidation catalyst 13 and the inlet of the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14. Namely, as shown by a thin solid line L3 in
FIG. 2, when the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 is large, the amount of increase in the exhaust gas temperature
is also large (refer to a temperature change between A and B).
However, if the amount in increase in the exhaust gas temperature
becomes large the amount of heat released (heat loss) in the
exhaust passage 7 increases. Therefore, the amount of decrease in
the exhaust gas temperature which is caused between the outlet of
the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 and the inlet of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 becomes large (refer to the
temperature change between B and C). As a result, the bed
temperature of the downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 may not
reach a target temperature T2. Accordingly, for example, the
capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 may be set such
that the SV is equal to or higher than 100,000 (l/h) at the engine
rotational speed of 1200 rpm, and the SV is equal to or higher than
58,000 (l/h) during idling (at the engine rotational speed of 700
rpm). Thus, the above-mentioned problem can be avoided.
[0028] Setting the capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst
13 in the above-mentioned manner makes it possible to increase the
region where the filter recovery process can be performed such that
the filter recovery process can also be performed at lower loads.
The capacity of the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 may be set
to be one-thirtieth to one-fifth of the capacity of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14. For example, when the exhaust gas
temperature is 250.degree. C. at the outlet of the turbocharger 10,
and the target temperature of the filter 15 is 650.degree. C., the
exhaust gas temperature needs to be increased by 400.degree. C. by
the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 and the downstream side
oxidation catalyst 14. In this case, if the amount of decrease in
the exhaust gas temperature which is caused between the outlet of
the upstream side oxidation catalyst 13 and the inlet of the
downstream side oxidation catalyst 14 is 40.degree. C., the
decrease needs to be compensated. If the capacity of the upstream
side oxidation catalyst 13 is set to be one-tenth
(forty-four-hundredths ( 40/400)) of the capacity of the downstream
side oxidation catalyst 14 in order to compensate the temperature
decrease, the temperature of the filter 15 can be increased to the
target temperature.
[0029] The invention is not limited to the above-mentioned
embodiment, and may be realized in various other embodiments. The
fuel supply means is not limited as long as the fuel supply for the
filter recovery process is performed at a position upstream of the
upstream side oxidation catalyst 13. For example, a fuel supply
injector for the filter recovery process may be provided upstream
of the oxidation catalyst 13, and the filter recovery process may
be performed by supplying fuel from the fuel supply injector. In
this case, the fuel supply injector corresponds to the fuel supply
means according to the invention.
* * * * *