System and Method for Controlling Nitrous Oxide Emissions of an Internal Combustion Engine and Regeneration of an Exhaust Treatment Device

A system for controlling nitrous oxide emissions exhausted from a lean burn internal combustion engine that produces a lean air/fuel mixture in the exhaust having an air ratio λ greater than 1, comprising:

• a catalytic converter comprising a catalytic metal secured to a substrate that has templated pores that is positioned within an exhaust stream produced by the internal combustion engine and the catalytic converter is positioned downstream relative to the internal combustion engine and wherein sulfur species from the exhaust deposit on the catalytic converter;
• an injector mechanism for introducing a regeneration fuel into the exhaust stream upstream relative to the catalytic converter to oxidize the sulfur species and de-sulfate the catalytic converter wherein the air ratio λ of the exhaust lean air/fuel mixture does not drop below 1 after introduction of the regenerating fuel;
• and,
• a heat source positioned upstream relative to the catalytic converter that is activated when the injector mechanism is introducing the regeneration fuel into the exhaust stream to heat temperature of the exhaust stream above a range of exhaust temperatures over which the internal combustion engine operates thereby heating the catalytic metal and the substrate.