| 摘要 |
A NOx absorbent is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, and a fuel supply valve (28) is arranged in the exhaust passage upstream of the NOx absorbent. If the temperature of the NOx absorbent is lower than a predetermined temperature when the NOx must be released from the NOx absorbent, the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing through the NOx absorbent is first switched from a basic lean air-fuel ratio to and maintained at a lean air-fuel ratio with a lower leanness for a predetermined lean time, and is then switched to a rich air-fuel ratio. If the temperature of the NOx absorbent is higher than the predetermined temperature when the NOx must be released from the NOx absorbent, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing through the NOx absorbent is switched to the rich air-fuel ratio without being switched to the lean air-fuel ratio with a lower leanness.
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