THERMAL ENERGY CONTAINING ARRANGEMENT FOR AN EXHAUST GAS PURIFICATION DEVICE

A thermal energy thermal energy containing arrangement for an exhaust gas purification device incorporated in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine is provided. The purification device has an inlet port through which exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine can flow in and an outlet port through which the treated exhaust gas can flow out. The arrangement includes a retractable upstream thermal energy containing arrangement located upstream the purification device and a retractable downstream thermal energy containing arrangement located downstream the purification device and an actuating arrangement for controlling the position of the upstream thermal energy containing arrangement and of the downstream thermal energy containing arrangement within regard to respectively the inlet port and the outlet port of the purification device, the upstream thermal energy containing arrangement and the downstream thermal energy containing arrangement being movable between (i) an engine operating position wherein the upstream thermal energy containing arrangement and the downstream thermal energy containing arrangement are in an at least partially retracted position and allow the flow of exhaust gas in and out of the purification device and (ii) a thermal energy preserving position wherein at least one of the upstream thermal energy containing arrangement and of the downstream thermal energy containing arrangement shut off respectively the inlet port and outlet port of the purification device.