US Patent 7913486 Exhaust emission control device

An exhaust emission control device is disclosed. The device includes an NOx-occlusion reduction catalyst incorporated in an exhaust passage for reduction and purification of NOx, a fuel reforming catalyst structure and plasma fuel reforming unit for decomposition of the fuel into H2 and CO is arranged in the exhaust passage upstream of the reduction catalyst, so that the fuel is decomposed into H2 and CO such that NOx on the surface of the NOx-occlusion reduction catalyst can be efficiently reduced into N2. Thus, high NOx reduction ratio can be always obtained irrespective of variety of operational conditions.