Catalytic Converters

Presented by:
Mona Bansal
600901012
What is Catalytic Converter?
• A device is used to
reduce the toxicity
of emissions from
an internal
combustion
engine.
• Used in Motor
vehicle exhaust
systems,
generators sets,
mining equipment
etc.
• Toxic combustion by-
products are
 Construction
1. The core or substrate

Metal core converter Ceramic core converter

The honey comb surface increases the surface area available to

support the catalyst, and therefore is often called as Catalyst
Support.
 2. The Washcoat
A washcoat is used to make converters more
efficient, often as a mixture of silica and alumina.
The washcoat, when added to the core, forms a
rough, irregular surface, which has a far greater
surface area than the flat core surfaces do, which
then gives the converter core a larger surface
area, and therefore more places for active
precious metal sites.
The catalyst is added to the washcoat (in
suspension) before being applied to the core.

 3. Catalyst
 The catalyst itself is most often a precious metal.
 Platinum is the most active catalyst and is widely used. It is
not suitable for all applications, however, because of
unwanted additional reactions and/or cost.
 Palladium and rhodium are two other precious metals used.
Platinum and rhodium are used as a reduction catalyst,
while platinum and palladium are used as an oxidization
catalyst.
 Cerium, iron, manganese and nickel are also used, although
each has its own limitations. Nickel is not legal for use in
the European Union (due to reaction with carbon
monoxide).
 While copper can be used, its use is illegal in North America
due to the formation of dioxin.

 Types of Catalytic Converters
o Two-way o Three-way
Oxidation of CO to CO₂ Reduction of NOₓ to N₂
Oxidation of unburnt and O₂
hydrocarbons to CO₂ Oxidation of CO to CO₂
and H₂O Oxidation of unburnt HC
ü This type is widely used on to CO₂ and H₂O
diesel engines to reduce ü Three-way can store
HC and CO emissions oxygen from the exhaust
gas stream, when the
air/ fuel goes lean
How Catalytic Converters
Reduce Pollution
ü The converter uses two different types of catalysts,
a reduction catalyst and an oxidization catalyst.
Both types consist of a ceramic structure coated
with a metal catalyst, usually platinum, rhodium
and/or palladium. The idea is to create a structure
that exposes the maximum surface area of the
catalyst to the exhaust stream, while also
minimizing the amount of catalyst required (they
are very expensive).

ü There are three main types of structures used in

catalytic converters - ceramic honeycomb, metal
plate and ceramic beads (now almost obsolete) -
the Scorpio like most cars today use a ceramic
honeycomb structure.
 The Reduction Catalyst


 The reduction catalyst is the first stage of the catalytic
converter.

 It uses platinum and rhodium to help reduce the nitrogen
oxide emissions.

 When such molecules come in contact with the catalyst, the
catalyst rips the nitrogen atom out of the molecule and
holds on to it, freeing the oxygen in the form of O₂. The
nitrogen atoms bond with other nitrogen atoms that are
also stuck to the catalyst, forming N₂.

The oxidation catalyst is the second
stage of the catalytic converter. It reduces
the unburned hydrocarbons and carbon
monoxide by burning (oxidizing) them
over a platinum and palladium catalyst.
This catalyst aids the reaction of the CO
and hydrocarbons with the remaining
oxygen in the exhaust gas.

The Oxidization Catalyst

The Control System


vThe third stage is a control system that monitors the

exhaust stream, and uses this information to
control the fuel injection system. There is a heated
oxygen sensor (also called a Lambda Sensor)
mounted upstream of the catalytic converter,
meaning it is closer to the engine than the
converter.


vThis sensor tells the EEC-V PCM how much oxygen

is in the exhaust. The EEC-V can increase or
decrease the amount of oxygen in the exhaust by
adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio.


 The catalytic converter does a great job of reducing

pollution, but there is room for improvement.

 One of the catalytic converter's biggest shortcomings is that
it only works at a fairly high temperature.

 When you start your car cold, the catalytic converter does
almost nothing to reduce the pollution in your exhaust.

 This is an important note when taking your car for its MOT -
make sure that it has had a good steady run to heat up
the Catalytic converters to working temperature or you
could fail your emissions test.

Problem with Catalytic Converter

Solution to a Problem
 One simple solution to this problem is to move
the catalytic converter closer to the engine. This
means that hotter exhaust gases reach the converter
and it heats up faster, but this may also reduce the life
of the converter by exposing it to extremely high
temperatures. Most carmakers position the converter
under the front passenger seat, far enough from the
engine to keep the temperature down to levels that
will not harm it.
Other Ways to Reduce
Pollution

 Preheating the catalytic converter could be a good
way to reduce emissions using electric resistance
heaters. Unfortunately, the 12-volt electrical
systems on most cars just doesn't provide enough
energy or power to heat the catalytic converter
fast enough. Most people won't wait a few minutes
for the catalytic converter to heat up before
starting their car. Electric/Fuel Hybrid cars that
have big, high-voltage battery packs can provide
enough power to heat up the catalytic converter
very quickly which contributes to their green
claims of lower emissions.
thank you