CATALYTIC CONVERTER

WHY WE NEED AN CATLYTIC CONVERTER?

 TO REDUCE EXHAUST EMISSIONS FROM IC

ENGINES.
 TO MEET EMISSION NORMS.
 TO REDUCE GREEN HOUSE EFFECTS.
 TO AVOID DEPLETION OF OZONE LAYER.
 TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING.
 TO REDUCE CARCINOGENS FROM DIESEL
ENGINE EXHAUST GASSES.
AUTOMOBILE POLLUTANTS
 PETROL ENGINE
- HC ( UNBURNT HYDRO CARBONS)
- NOX (OXIDES OF NITROGEN)
- COX ( OXIDES OF CARBON)
- SULPHUR ( SMALL AMOUNTS)
AUTOMOBILE POLLUTANTS
 DIESEL ENGINE POLLUTANTS
- HC ( UNBURNT HYDRO CARBONS)
- NOX (OXIDES OF NITROGEN)
- COX ( OXIDES OF CARBON)
- SULPHUR ( SMALL AMOUNTS)
- PARTICULATE MATTER OR SOOT
- SMOG (SMOKE + FOG)
EURO 4 (COPYCAT- BS 4)
POLLUTANT CO HC NOX PM
S

DIESEL 1.5 0.46 3.5 0.02

TRUCKS
G/KWH

DIESEL LCVS 0.50 0.30 0.25 0.025

G/KM

PETROL 1.0 0.1 0.08

G/KM

2&3 1.25 1.25

WHEELERS
G/KM
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-
HISTORY
 The catalytic converter was invented by EUGENE
HOUDRY, a French mechanical engineer and
expert in catalytic oil refining who lived in the U.S.
around 1950.
 Further developed by a series of engineers
including John J. Mooney and Carl D. Keith at
the Engelhard Corporation , creating the first
production catalytic converter in 1973.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-
HISTORY
 Hannibal E. Howell, Jr. worked for two years as a
chemist at the Petroleum Laboratory, United States
Naval Supply Center, where he designed catalytic
converter for fuel-injected engines that is still used
in cars today.
 ceramic substrate used in most catalytic converters
was invented by Rodney Bagley, Irwin Lachman
and Ronald Lewis
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
 CATALYTIC CONVERTER-
INTRO
 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
CATALYTIC CONVERTER

Most catalytic converters are located as close to the exhaust manifold as possible as seen in this display
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-catalyst core

 the core is usually a CERAMIC monolith (single

massive stone) with a honeycomb structure.
 Metallic foil monoliths made of FeCrAl are used in
some applications.
 Ceramic cores are inexpensive when manufactured
in large quantities.
 Metallic cores are less expensive to build in small
production runs, and are used in sports cars
CORE MONLITHIC
SUBSTRATE
CATALYTIC CONVERTER- CORE COATING

 cordierite (magnesium iron aluminum cyclosilicate )

ceramic substrate used in most catalytic converters.
 Aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, or
a mixture of silica and alumina can be used.
 catalytic materials are suspended in the coat prior to
applying to the core.
 This makes rough, irregular surface, this must retain its
surface area and prevent sintering(creating objects from
powders) of the catalytic metal particles even at high
temperatures (1000 °C)
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-
catalysts
 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.
 Rhodium is used as a reduction catalyst.
 palladium is used as an oxidation catalyst.
 platinum is used both for reduction and oxidation
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-shape
 Most catalytic converters are constructed of a
ceramic material in a honeycomb shape with
square openings for the exhaust gases.
 The substrate is contained within a round or

oval shell made by welding together two

stamped pieces of aluminum or stainless steel.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER

A typical catalytic converter with a monolithic substrate.

TWO CVS
CATALYTIC CONVERTER-
types
 CATALYTIC CONVERTER
- TWO WAY CATALYTIC CONVERTER
- THREE WAY CATALYTIC CONVERTER
- SELECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER
TWO WAY CATALYTIC CONVERTER

 A two-way catalytic converter has two

simultaneous tasks
- Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide
- Oxidation of hydrocarbons
- Oxides of nitrogen-?
These are used in learn burn engines
Because of their inability to control oxides of
nitrogen, they were superseded by three-way
converters
THREE WAY CATALYTIC CONVERTER

 A three-way catalytic converter has three

simultaneous tasks
- Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide
- Oxidation of hydrocarbons
- Reduction of nitrous oxides into nitrogen and
oxygen
Widely used in all automobiles to meet stringent
emission norms
SCR
SELECTIVE CATALYTIC
CONVERTER
 Selective catalytic reduction OR Selective catalytic
converter (SCR or SCC) which converts nitrogen
oxides (Nox) with the aid of a catalyst into diatomic
nitrogen and oxygen.
 anhydrous ammonia, aqueous ammonia or urea, is
used as catalysts.
 The Nox reduction reaction takes place as the gases
pass through the catalyst chamber. Before entering the
catalyst chamber the ammonia, or other reductant
(such as urea), is injected and mixed with the gases
CONVERSION
Chemical conversions in 2&3 WAY catalytic converter

 CARBON MONOXIDE TO CARBON DI OXIDE

- 2CO + O2 → 2CO2
 HYDRO CARBONS TO CARBON DI
OXIDE&WATER
- CxH2x+2 + [(3x+1)/2] O2 → xCO2 + (x+1) H2O
 NITROUS OXIDES TO NITROGEN & OXYGEN
- 2NOx → xO2 + N2
3- way catalytic converter

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).
Chemical conversions in selective catalytic converter

 anhydrous or aqueous ammonia

- 4NO + 4NH3 + O2 → 4N2 + 6H2O
- 2NO2 + 4NH3 + O2 → 3N2 + 6H2O
- NO + NO2 + 2NH3 → 2N2 + 3H2O
- 2SO2 + O2 → 2SO
- 2NH3 + SO3 + H2O → (NH4)2SO4
- NH3 + SO3 + H2O → NH4HSO4
 reaction for urea

- 4NO + 2(NH2)2CO + O2 → 4N2 + 4H2O + 2CO

CATALYTIC CONVERTER- working
conditions
 More effective in stochiometric air fuel ratio 14.5:1
 Operates well between 14.3:1to 14.8:1

 Beyond this air fuel ratios

 Lean Mixture Nox reduction is less

 Rich mixture oxygen is less so no oxidation takes

place
 The catalytic converter does not work when cold and

it must be heated to its temperature of close to 500°F

(260°C) before it starts working at 50% effectiveness.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER- working conditions

 When fully effective, the converter reaches a

temperature range of 900° to 1,600°F (482° to
871°C).
 Diesel exhaust contains relatively high levels of
particulate matter (soot), consisting in large part of
elemental carbon. Catalytic converters cannot clean
up elemental carbon, though they do remove up to
90 percent of the soluble organic fraction so
particulates are cleaned up by a soot trap or diesel
particulate filter
CATALYTIC CONVERTER- working conditions

 A catalytic converter must be located as close as

possible to the exhaust manifold to work effectively.
 The farther back the converter is positioned in the
exhaust system, the more gases cool before they
reach the converter.
 With OBD-II equipped vehicles, catalytic converter
performance is monitored by heated oxygen sensor
(HO2S), both before and after the converter.
 catalytic converters can be run only on unleaded fuels
CATALYTIC CONVERTER- LIFE CYCLE

 catalyst effectiveness is warranted for 80,000 miles

or 8 years.
 The FOUR main causes of premature converter
failure are:
 Contamination.
 Excessive temperatures.
 Improper air–fuel mixtures.
 Catalytic converters can fail by being chemically
damaged or poisoned without being mechanically
clogged.
TESTING
 The simple tap test involves tapping (not
pounding) on the catalytic converter using a rubber
mallet.
 If the substrate inside the converter is broken, the
converter will rattle when hit.
 If the converter rattles, a replacement converter is
required.
 Exhaust system backpressure can be measured
directly by installing a pressure gauge in an exhaust
opening
CFD- CFX ANALYSIS
DOUBTS?
THANK YOU

VINOTH.PVK