Exhaust gas filter regenerating apparatus effectively burning particulate material

A regenerating apparatus for a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate material is collected in the filter and incombustible impurity is contained in the collected particulate material, comprising:

• first detecting means for detecting a first parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of the collected particulate material;
• second detecting means for detecting a second parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of incombustible impurity contained in the collected particulate material;
• regenerating means for burning the collected particulate material;
• control means for controlling the regenerating means to perform a partial regenerating process in which a part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the incombustible impurity can not easily pass through the filter, wherein the partial regenerating process starts when the value of the first parameter exceeds a first threshold and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, unless a value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition.

A method for regenerating a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate material is collected in the filter and incombustible impurity is contained in the collected particulate material, the method comprising steps of:

• detecting a first parameter whose value is correlative with and detectable an amount of the collected particulate material;
• detecting a second parameter whose value is correlative with and detectable an amount of the incombustible impurity contained in the collected particulate material;
• and
• burning the collected particulate material through a selected one of first and second processes, the first process being a partial regenerating process in which a burn of the collected particulate material starts, when the value of the first parameter exceeds a first threshold, and terminates, when the value of the first parameter falls below a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, whereby a part of the collected particulate material is burned to an extent that the impurity can not easily pass through the filter and the second process is a prefect regenerating process in which the burn of the collected particulate material starts, when the value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition, and terminates, when the value of the first parameter falls below a third threshold that is smaller than the second threshold, whereby a substantially entire part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the impurity can easily pass through the filter.

A regenerating apparatus for a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate material is collected in the filter and incombustible impurity is contained in the collected particulate material, comprising:

• particulate detecting means for detecting a first parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of the collected particulate material;
• impurity detecting means for detecting a second parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of the incombustible impurity contained in the collected particulate material;
• regenerating means for burning the collected particulate material;
• control means for controlling the regenerating means to selectively perform
• a partial regenerating process in which a part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the impurity can not easily pass through the filter, and
• a perfect regenerating process in which a substantially entire part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the impurity can easily pass through the filter,
• wherein the partial regenerating process starts when the value of the first parameter exceeds a first threshold and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold and the perfect regenerating process starts when the value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a third threshold that is smaller than the second threshold.

A regenerating apparatus for a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate material is collected in the filter, comprising:

• first detecting means for detecting a first parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of the collected particulate material;
• second detecting means for detecting a second parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts a factor other than the amount of the collected particle material;
• regenerating means for burning the collected particulate material;
• control means for controlling the regenerating means to perform a partial regenerating process in which a part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that an impurity can not easily pass through the filter, wherein the partial regenerating process starts when the value of the first parameter exceeds a first threshold and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, unless a value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition;
• wherein incombustible impurity is contained in the collected particulate material, the value of the second parameter is correlative with and predicts an amount of the incombustible impurity contained in the collected particulate material, and the control means controls the regenerating means to perform a perfect regenerating process in which a substantially entire part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the impurity can easily pass through the filter, wherein the perfect regenerating process starts when the value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a third threshold that is smaller than the second threshold.

A regenerating apparatus for a filter provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate material is collected in the filter, comprising:

• first detecting means for detecting a first parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts an amount of the collected particulate material;
• second detecting means for detecting a second parameter whose value is correlative with and predicts a factor other than the amount of the collected particle material;
• regenerating means for burning the collected particulate material;
• control means for controlling the regenerating means to perform a partial regenerating process in which a part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that an impurity can not easily pass through the filter, wherein the partial regenerating process starts when the value of the first parameter exceeds a first threshold and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, unless a value of the second parameter meets a predetermined condition;
• wherein incombustible impurity is contained in the collected particulate material and the value of the second parameter is correlative with and predicts an amount of the incombustible impurity contained in the collected particulate material, further, comprising steps of:
• performing a perfect regenerating process in which a substantially entire part of the collected particulate material is burnt to an extent that the impurity can easily pass through the filter, wherein the perfect regenerating process starts when the value of the second parameter meets the predetermined condition and terminates when the value of the first parameter falls below a third threshold that is smaller than the second threshold.