EXHAUST PURIFICATION SYSTEM OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

An exhaust purification system comprises an exhaust purification catalyst 20, a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor 41 and a control device. The control device makes the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas change to an air-fuel ratio at a rich side from the prior air-fuel ratio as air-fuel ratio rich increasing control when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is made a rich air-fuel ratio and the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor is maintained at a lean judged air-fuel ratio or more, and judges that the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor suffers from an abnormality, when, due to the air-fuel ratio rich increasing control, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is made to change to the rich side air-fuel ratio and the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor changes to the lean side.