Patent ID: 7913488

Claim:
A method of operating a diesel internal combustion engine, said method comprising: (a) providing a diesel internal combustion engine, said engine including: an intake system for supplying air to the internal combustion engine, said intake system comprising an air intake filter for filtering the supplied air, a compressed air source, said compressed air source producing an overpressure, an exhaust gas system comprising a diesel particulate filter, and a secondary air line and secondary air compressor for withdrawing secondary air from the intake system or the environment and introducing the secondary air into the exhaust gas system; (b) driving a secondary air turbine with the overpressure of the compressed air source, and (c) driving the secondary air compressor with the secondary air turbine, wherein the compressed air source is a pressure chamber for storing compressed air, and a portion of the stored compressed air is supplied to the secondary air turbine, an outlet of the secondary air turbine also is connected to the exhaust gas system of the diesel internal combustion engine, and a regulating system is provided for regulating secondary air supplied via the secondary air compressor or via the secondary air turbine outlet or via both the secondary air compressor and the secondary air turbine outlet.