Patent attributes
A diesel particulate filter (DPF) for trapping exhaust particulates is located in an exhaust passage of a diesel engine. Deposit amounts of a soluble organic fraction (SOF) as an organic solvent soluble component and soot as a solid carbon component of exhaust particulate components deposited in the DPF are estimated respectively. When the SOF deposit amount reaches an SOF elimination execution deposit amount, the DPF is heated to or over relatively low SOF combustion temperature to execute SOF elimination treatment. When the soot deposit amount reaches a soot elimination execution deposit amount, the DPF is heated to or over relatively high soot combustion temperature to execute soot elimination treatment. The SOF elimination treatment is executed before the SOF becomes excessive to prevent rapid combustion of the soot due to combustion of the SOF.
