Patent ID: 8181445

Claim:
An exhaust gas aftertreatment device for a motor vehicle, said device comprising: a reforming unit that generates hydrogen by steam reforming and partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, said reforming unit being arranged directly, in the full flow of exhaust gas, in a main exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, whereby steam and residual oxygen that are necessary for reforming are derived from said exhaust gas, wherein the reforming unit is configured as an autothermal reforming reactor and wherein the reforming unit comprises a catalytically active particulate filter; an NO x storage catalytic converter arranged in the main exhaust gas stream downstream of the reforming unit said NO x storage catalytic converter being operable to remove NO x from lean exhaust gas by storing NO x as the lean exhaust gas flows through NO x storage catalytic converter, and to generate N 2 by reducing stored NO x when reducing exhaust gas flows through the NO x storage catalytic converter; an SCR catalytic converter arranged in the main exhaust gas stream downstream of the NO x storage catalytic converter said SCR catalytic converter being operable to reduce NO x contained in the exhaust gas using NH 3 that has been generated by the NO x storage catalytic converter, and a secondary injection device arranged upstream of the reforming unit being operable for post-engine introduction of reducing agents into the exhaust gas upstream of the reformer; and an exhaust gas recirculation, arranged between the NO x storage catalytic converter and the reforming unit, the exhaust gas recirculation being operable to supply reformate to the engine.