Process for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine in the cold start and warming up phases

Claim 1

A process for controlling a multi-cylinder internal-combustion engine with internal combustion and subsequent treatment of exhaust gases, wherein the engine has a plurality of individual cylinders in which gas exchange occurs, each cylinder having an intake device for introducing air into the cylinder and an exhaust device for removing exhaust gas from the cylinder, and an engine control which actuates the intake and exhaust devices independently of one another but with opening times and closing times that are coordinated with one another, wherein the process, beginning in the cold start phase up to the warming-up phase, comprises the steps of: supplying only a portion of the cylinders with fuel, the fuel-supplied cylinders operating as an engine; cutting off the supply of fuel to the other portion of the cylinders so that such cylinders operate as compressors; introducing air heated in the cylinders operating as compressors into the exhaust gas system by an adaptable control of the exhaust system, said introduced air being one of changeable quantity, changeable pressure, and changeable temperature for the secondary reaction of the exhaust gases; and opening the intake devices of the cylinders that are operating as an engine late for improving the fuel/air mixture.