Exhaust gas purifying system

Abstract

An exhaust gas purifying system is used for purifying exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle. The exhaust gas purifying system includes an electrochemical device and a control device. The electrochemical device includes an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The control device is operable to control the internal combustion engine and the electrochemical device. The control device receives data on condition of the internal combustion engine and controls amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device based on the data. The data represents amount of exhaust gas. When the control device recognizes that the amount of exhaust gas is increased, the control device increases the amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device.

1 . An exhaust gas purifying system for purifying exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle, comprising:
 an electrochemical device including an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and the cathode; and   a control device operable to control the internal combustion engine and the electrochemical device; wherein the control device receives data on condition of the internal combustion engine and controls amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device based on the data.   
   
   
       2 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data represents amount of exhaust gas, wherein when the control device recognizes that the amount of exhaust gas is increased, the control device increases the amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device, and when the control device recognizes that the amount of exhaust gas is decreased, the control device decreases the amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device. 
   
   
       3 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical device is a plate-like shaped and has the anode and the cathode on the opposite surfaces thereof, the electrolyte layer allows ions to move between the anode and the cathode. 
   
   
       4 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data is at least one of an engine speed, an accelerator pedal position, a throttle valve opening, oxygen concentration in exhaust gas and exhaust gas temperature. 
   
   
       5 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the anode is made of platinum based material. 
   
   
       6 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode is made of nickel based material. 
   
   
       7 . The exhaust gas purifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gas purifying system having a plurality of electrochemical devices which are placed in an exhaust passage pipe at a predetermined interval each other in the same orientation such that each surface of the anode and the cathode is parallel to the exhaust gas flow. 
   
   
       8 . An exhaust gas purifying method for purifying exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle, wherein the exhaust gas purifying system including an electrochemical device having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode and the cathode comprising steps of:
 detecting data on condition of the internal combustion engine and   controlling amount of electric current to be supplied to the electrochemical device based on the data.