Process for operating a three-way catalyst that contains an oxygen-storage component

US6655129B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UMICORE AG & CO. KG · DE

Inventors

• Dieter Lindner · Hanau, DE
• Jorg-Michael Richter · Frankfurt, DE
• Egbert Lox · Hanau, DE
• Thomas Kreuzer · Karben, DE
• Martin Votsmeier · Bruchköbel, DE
• Lothar Mussmann · Offenbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 24, 2002
• Grant date: Dec 2, 2003
• Expiry date: Jan 24, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T10/12
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A process is provided for operating a three-way catalyst that contains an oxygen storage component, that has a minimum and a maximum filling degree for oxygen and that is located in the exhaust gas line of an internal combustion engine. The air/fuel mixture supplied to the engine is varied in such a way that the filling degree of the oxygen storage component in the catalyst is held within a set-point interval between the minimum and maximum filling degree. According to this process, in order to regulate the air/fuel mixture, migration of the filling degree out of the set-point interval is checked in a test phase in such a way that the filling degree is increased or lowered relative to the instantaneous value (initial value) by short-term enrichment or reduction in richness of the air/fuel mixture supplied to the engine by a certain amount and immediately returned to the initial value by a short-term opposing change in the air/fuel mixture (lean/rich pulse sequence or rich/lean pulse sequence). In the case of a breakthrough of lean or rich exhaust gas through the catalyst during the test phase, the air/fuel mixture is enriched or reduced in richness in order to correct the filling d…