A selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst is disposed in an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine. A reductant injector is coupled to the exhaust gas stream at a position upstream of the SCR catalyst, and first and second NO.sub.x sensors provide NOx measurements upstream of and downstream of the SCR catalyst, respectively. A system and method is disclosed for operating the system to determine a NOx amount and/or a NH3 slip amount downstream of the SCR catalyst by decoupling NOx-NH3 measurements from the output of the second NOx sensor to provide control of the reductant injection amount.

A NO.sub.2 gas sensing element includes an electrolyte, a reference electrode in contact with the electrolyte, and a sensing electrode selective to NO.sub.2 in contact with the electrolyte spaced apart from the reference electrode. The NO.sub.2 selective sensing electrode includes an oxide material comprising: (1) a mixed oxide according to the formula (Mn.sub.2-u-v-wCo.sub.vMg.sub.wSiO.sub.4-u)+ξ(Mn.sub.3Al.sub.2Si.sub.3O.sub.12)+δ(SiO.sub.2), wherein 0≦(u+v+w)≦2.0, 0≦ξ≦0.5, and 0≦δ≦0.1; (2) a mixed oxide according to the formula (Mn.sub.2-x-y-zCo.sub.yMg.sub.zSiO.sub.4-x)+ξ(ZnO)+δ(SiO.sub.2), wherein 0≦(u+v+w)≦2.0, 0≦ξ≦0.5, and 0≦δ≦0.1; or combinations of mixed oxides (1) and (2).

A control device of an exhaust sensor comprises a cell temperature detecting part detecting a temperature of the electrochemical cell, a heater control part controlling the heater so that a temperature of the electrochemical cell becomes the target temperature, and a judging part judging whether a water repellency of the protective layer is falling. The judging part judges that the water repellency of the protective layer is falling if a condition for judging abnormality is satisfied. The condition for judging abnormality includes a temperature of the electrochemical cell detected by the cell temperature detecting part falling from the target temperature and a speed of fall of the temperature being faster than a speed of fall of the temperature of the electrochemical cell when the heater is turned off.

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing a first exhaust treatment component for treatment of an exhaust gas stream comprising means for oxidizing nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide. A first reduction catalytic converter is arranged upstream said means for oxidizing nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide, and a second reduction catalytic converter is arranged downstream said means. A reagent is for reduction of nitrogen oxides in said first catalytic converter, and a first sensor measures an occurrence of nitrogen oxide downstream said means but upstream said second reduction catalytic converter. The method comprises: causing a supply of reagent upstream said first reduction catalytic converter to an extent exceeding the extent to which reagent is consumed by the first reduction catalytic converter, determining a first measure of the occurrence of reagent downstream said means for oxidizing, and diagnosing said means for oxidizing nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide based on said first measure.

A system for determining a performance status of an exhaust aftertreatment system may include determining an ammonia-to-nitrogen ratio using a sample ammonia input value and a sample NO.sub.x input value. An actual NO.sub.x input value and an actual ammonia input value can be received. An emission value from may be received from a first sensor. A NO.sub.x emission estimate, an ammonia slip estimate, and an optimal ammonia storage value for a selective catalytic reduction may be determined using an iterative inefficiency calculation based, at least in part, on the actual NO.sub.x input value, the actual ammonia input value, and the ammonia-to-nitrogen ratio; and the NO.sub.x emission estimate, the ammonia slip estimate, and the optimal ammonia storage value may be outputted to a diagnostic system.

A method is provided for controlling nitrogen oxide emissions in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine by means of successive actuation of catalytic converters in the exhaust tract and of the internal combustion engine, wherein the catalytic converters or the internal combustion engine are actuated in succession if the actuation of a first device is not sufficient for reducing the nitrogen oxide emissions. An arrangement for carrying out the method is also provided.

A method for diagnosing an exhaust component in an exhaust passage for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. In the method, operating parameters of the internal combustion engine are monitored and recorded by a control unit while the internal combustion engine is running. If a predefined emission threshold for the exhaust component for compliance with emissions is found to have been exceeded, the current operating parameters of the internal combustion engine are stored in a control unit. The operating state of the internal combustion engine when the predefined emission threshold is exceeded is reproduced on a vehicle test bench using the stored operating parameters. The diagnosis of the exhaust component is carried out based on a comparison between the current measured value from the exhaust component and the current measured value from an emission measuring device and/or the predefined emission threshold.

Determining a functionality of an exhaust gas sensor in an exhaust gas system having a catalytic converter and a first exhaust gas sensor upstream of the catalytic converter and a second exhaust gas sensor downstream of the catalytic converter. The first and the second exhaust gas sensors are heated to a temperature above a minimum operating temperature.; A first sensor signal of the first exhaust gas sensor; and a second sensor signal of the second exhaust gas sensor are determined. The first and the second sensor signals are compared in an operating period in which a temperature of the at least one catalytic converter does not exceed a temperature threshold value; and an operating parameter of the first exhaust gas sensor (121) is determined on the basis the comparison

A method of calculating a nitrogen oxide (NOx) mass reduced from a lean NOx trap (LNT) during regeneration includes calculating a C3H6 mass flow used to reduce the NOx among a C3H6 mass flow flowing into the LNT of an exhaust purification device, calculating a NH3 mass flow used to reduce the NOx among a NH3 mass flow generated in the LNT, calculating a reduced NOx mass flow based on the C3H6 mass flow used to reduce the NOx and the NH3 mass flow used to reduce the NOx, and calculating the reduced NOx mass by integrating the reduced NOx mass flow over a regeneration period.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a NOx sensor purification instructions for a NOx sensor causes: an on-vehicle electronic computer mounted in the vehicle, when it comes to a predetermined purification time, to execute a start procedure to send a start command to perform a purification control to the control unit; and control unit, in response to the start command, to execute a purification procedure to perform the purification control which causes the current flowing in the reference pump cell from the reference pump current to be a purification pump current, which is set to a current value larger than the reference pump current.