Method and apparatus for exhaust gas posttreatment in internal combustion engines

A method for treating gases of internal combustion engines after an engine operation, in which the engine (10) includes an intake system (1) and an exhaust gas treatment system (24) with an exhaust gas catalytic converter (27) and a valve control (12), and the exhaust gas treatment system (24) can be supplied at a first secondary air inlet (39) with secondary air from an air source (37), comprising the following method steps:

• closing the intake system to the outside after an engine operation and with the catalytic converter (27) still at operating temperature,
• shutting off the engine (10) after an engine operation in a phase relationship, in such a way that inlet/outlet valves (13, 15;
• 19) of at least one combustion chamber (20) are open;
• generating an air flow after an engine operation by means of the air source (37), which air flow is carried in the intake system (1) of the engine (10) to a second inlet point (45), and flowing the air through or bathing the components (1, 13, 15, 20, 19 and 24) of the engine in the direction of the catalytic converter (27) at operating temperature.