Patent ID: 8621852

Claim:
A detector for detecting sulfur components comprising: a storage portion for storing SO x and NO x in the exhaust gas passing through an exhaust passage, in which the more an amount of stored SO x increases, the more an amount of stored NO x decreases, and which does not release SO x but releases NO x at a set temperature; and a temperature sensor; wherein: the detector: estimates said amount of stored SO x on the basis of a relationship between (after said storage portion becomes said set temperature by heating) a heating pattern of said storage portion and temperature chance of said storage portion measured by said temperature sensor, and detects an integrated amount of SO x passing through said exhaust passage during a given period or a value on the basis of said integrated amount; said heating pattern is set so as to elevate the temperature of said storage portion when NO x is not stored by a predetermined temperature per unit time; the temperature of said storage portion while NO x is stored elevates by a temperature lower than said predetermined temperature per unit time by said heating pattern; all NO x released from said storage portion being estimated on the basis that NO x is released during a period in which the temperature of said storage portion elevates by the temperature lower than said predetermined temperature per unit time; and said amount of stored SO x being estimated on the basis of all of the released NO x .