Various embodiments include a method of ascertaining the oxygen load of a catalytic converter disposed in an exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine with an exhaust gas sensor is disposed downstream of the catalytic converter comprising: generating a signal using the exhaust gas sensor indicating a proportion of nitrogen oxide and/or ammonia in the exhaust gas; and ascertaining the oxygen load of the catalytic converter at least partly on the basis of the signal from the exhaust gas sensor.

A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided with a target air-fuel ratio setting part including a first setting control part performing normal control alternately switching a target air-fuel ratio between a predetermined first lean air-fuel ratio and a predetermined first rich air-fuel ratio and a second setting control part performing control for restoration of the storage amount stopping normal control and increasing the oxygen storage amount of a second catalyst when an output air-fuel ratio of a third air-fuel ratio sensor becomes a predetermined rich judgment air-fuel ratio or less. Further, the second setting control part is configured to set the target air-fuel ratio to a predetermined second lean air-fuel ratio larger than the first lean air-fuel ratio at the time of start of the control for restoration of the storage amount and set the target air-fuel ratio to a predetermined third lean air-fuel ratio smaller than the second lean air-fuel ratio after an exhaust with a larger air-fuel ratio than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio flows out from the first catalyst in the time period of setting the target air-fuel ratio to the second lean air-fuel ratio.

The invention concerns a method (200) for operating a motor vehicle (100) with a combustion engine (110), including the determination (210) of a current operating state of the vehicle (100), the determination (220) of an emission state of the vehicle (100) during the determined operating state, carrying out (230) at least one measure to reduce emissions depending on the emission state and evaluating (240) the at least one measure in connection with the operating state with regard to its success in reducing emissions. Furthermore, a computing unit (130) and a computer program product for carrying out such a method (200) are proposed.

The invention relates to a method (200) for operating an internal combustion engine (110) having at least one catalytic converter (122), wherein control interventions of a lambda control for controlling an exhaust gas composition of the internal combustion engine are deactivated, comprising ascertaining a current exhaust gas composition upstream of the at least one catalytic converter (122), determining a current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter (122) on the basis of the ascertained current exhaust gas composition, ascertaining (210) a planned control intervention on a composition of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine (110) on the basis of the determined current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter, ascertaining a current exhaust gas composition (123) downstream of the at least one catalytic converter (122), ascertaining a future exhaust gas composition (123) downstream of the at least one catalytic converter (122) resulting on the basis of an air-fuel mixture already supplied to the internal combustion engine (110), and reactivating the lambda control and specifying (260) a control intervention to be carried out as a function of the planned control intervention and the current exhaust gas composition (123) downstream of the at least one catalytic converter (122), and/or as a function of the planned control intervention and the future exhaust gas composition. Furthermore, a processing unit (130) and a computer program for carrying out such a method (200) are proposed.

Systems and methods for controlling a gasoline urea selective catalytic reductant catalyst are described. In one example, an observer is provided that corrects an estimate of an amount of NH.sub.3 that is stored in a SCR. The amount of NH.sub.3 that is stored in the SCR is a basis for generating additional NH.sub.3 or ceasing generation of NH.sub.3.

A catalyst degradation detection apparatus includes an air-fuel ratio detector disposed downstream of a catalyst and configured to detect an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing out from the catalyst, and an electronic control unit configured to control an air-fuel ratio of inflow exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst and determine whether the catalyst is degraded. The electronic control unit is configured to execute degradation determination control that brings the air-fuel ratio of the inflow exhaust gas to an air-fuel ratio leaner or richer than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether precious metal of the catalyst is degraded based on the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detector when an oxygen storage amount of the catalyst is varying in the degradation determination control.

A method of reducing cold start emissions in a series mode hybrid electric vehicle, including an internal combustion engine with an exhaust duct having a catalyst and a downstream oxygen sensor, an output of the combustion engine being connected to an electric generator with a power output of at least 10 kW that is connected to an electric motor which is coupled to a drive shaft of two or more wheels. The method includes detecting a cold start condition, injecting fuel into the engine such that combustion at a lambda value, λ, is achieved for which λ>1, running the engine at a speed of 1000 rpm or higher, determining if the efficiency of the catalyst reaches a first level, setting λ to about 1 after the predetermined efficiency level of the catalyst has been reached, and reducing the speed to working conditions when the catalyst efficiency reaches a second level.

The exhaust purification device of an internal combustion engine comprises a catalyst 20 arranged in an exhaust passage and able to store oxygen; and an air-fuel ratio control device configured to control an air-fuel ratio of inflowing exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst. The air-fuel ratio control device is configured to perform a distribution forming control controlling the air-fuel ratio of the inflowing exhaust gas so that in the catalyst, a first region with an oxygen storage amount of equal to or greater than a predetermined value and a second region with an oxygen storage amount of less than the predetermined value are alternately formed along an axial direction of the catalyst. The total number of the first region and the second region formed by the distribution forming control is equal to or greater than three.

A control unit configured to control an electric turbocharger and an EGR valve. While an internal combustion engine is stopped, an oxygen-free period, which is a period during which oxygen surrounding an exhaust gas purifier used for an oxidation reaction runs out, is estimated based on a temperature of the exhaust gas purifier. Before entering the oxygen-free period, the EGR valve is opened and the electric turbocharger is driven. Air surrounding the exhaust gas purifier is replaced with fresh air. After replacement with the fresh air has been completed, the electric turbocharger is stopped.

A method (200) for operating an exhaust gas system (120) that includes a first catalytic converter (122) and at least one second catalytic converter (124),which are both arranged downstream from an internal combustion engine (110) The internal combustion engine (110) is controlled to generate a rich exhaust gas having a first rich gas portion, (220) a fill level of the second catalytic converter (124) is ascertained with respect to at least one lean gas component that is storable in the second catalytic converter and, if the ascertained fill level drops below (230) a minimum fill level, (240) the internal combustion engine (110) is controlled to generate a lean exhaust gas. The internal combustion engine (110) is then controlled to generate a rich exhaust gas having a second rich gas portion, and subsequently controlled (210) to generate the rich exhaust gas having the first rich gas portion.