CATALYST TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE

摘要

Provided is a catalyst temperature control device capable of appropriately controlling the temperature of the catalyst, said temperature determining the exhaust gas performance of an internal combustion engine. A plurality of temperature measurement points are arranged continuously or discretely at least in the passage direction on the inside of a catalyst. The temperature measurement points can include not only actual measurement points at which temperature sensors are disposed but also virtual measurement points at which temperature sensors are not disposed. Control points are selected among the plurality of temperature measurement points in accordance with the operation conditions of an internal combustion engine, and the target value of the temperature of the catalyst is set. The temperature of the selected control points can be actually measured by the temperature sensors if the control points are the actual measurement points. The temperatures of the control points can be estimated by an interpolation calculation using the temperature of one or more actual measurement points adjacent to the control points if the control points are virtual measurement points. The operation amount of an internal combustion engine is determined on the basis of the difference between the actually measured or estimated temperatures of the control points and the target value, and the internal combustion engine is operated in accordance with the determined operation amount.