THREE WAY CATALYTIC

CONVERTERS
Dr. K. Rajendra Kumar
• Incomplete combustion products of CO and unburned
hydrocarbons (UHCs), thermal and fuel NOX
CO range: 1~2%
UHCs range: 500~1000 ppm
NOX range: 100~3000 ppm
The exhaust also contains approximately 0.3 moles of H2
per mole of CO.
• CO, HC ↑ and NOX ↓ while air-fuel mixture is rich.
• CO is a direct poison to human.
• HC and NOX undergo photochemical reactions in the
sunlight leading to the generation of smog and ozone.
• US Clean Air Act
1975/76 federal requirements:
HC: 1.5 g/mile; CO: 15 g/mile;NOX: 3.1 g/mile
• A catalytic converter is an after-treatment device used to
reduce exhaust emissions outside of the engine.
• This device is installed in the exhaust system between the
exhaust manifold and the muffler, and usually is
positioned beneath the passenger compartment.

A typical catalytic
converter
with a monolithic
substrate
Catalytic Converter

The small tube into the side of

the converter comes from the
air pump. The additional air
from the air pump helps
oxidize the exhaust into
harmless H2O and CO2.
Catalytic Converter Working
• The converter contains small amounts of
rhodium, palladium, and platinum.
• These elements act as catalysts.
– A catalyst is an element that starts a chemical
reaction without becoming a part of, or being
consumed in, the process.
– In a three-way catalytic converter (TWC), three
exhaust emissions (NOX, HC, and CO) are
converted to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water
(H2O).
The three-way catalytic converter first separates the NOX into
nitrogen and oxygen and then converts the HC and CO into
harmless water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
small holes in the tube to distribute air from the AIR pump to the
oxidizing rear section of the converter.
• A properly working catalytic converter should be able to
reduce NOX exhaust emissions into nitrogen (N) and
oxygen (O2) and oxidize unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and
carbon monoxide (CO) into harmless carbon dioxide
(CO2) and water vapor (H2O).
• Lightoff Temperature is required. i.e.

A temperature high enough to initiate the catalytic reactions.

• Typically, the CO (and H2) reaction begins first, followed by

the HC and NOX reactions.

• When the vehicle exhaust is hot, the chemical reaction

rates are fast, and pore diffusion and/or bulk mass transfer
controls the reactions.
Catalytic Conversion Reactions
Oxidation of CO and HC to CO2 and
H2O:
n n
C y H n  (1  )O2  yCO2  H 2O
4 2
1
CO  O2  CO2
2
CO  H 2O  CO2  H 2

Reduction of NO/NO2 to N2

1
NO (orNO2 )  CO  N 2  CO2
2
1
NO (orNO2 )  H 2  N 2  H 2 O
2
n n n
(2  ) NO(orNO2 )  C y H n  (1  ) N 2  yCO2  H 2O
2 4 2
Thank you