CDGIs

CHAMELI DEVI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, INDORE

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Session: 2015-16

Subject Code:ME-607

SEMINAR ON:
CATALYTIC CONVERTER

Prepared By: SANSKAR RATHI

0832ME131139

CONTENTS
Introduction
Major Air Pollutants
Exhaust Gas Composition
Introduction To Catalytic Converter
Types
Construction
Working
Damages
Limitations
Conclusion
Reference

INTRODUCTION

Automobiles contribute major air quality

problems in rural as well as urban and
industrialized areas.
Over 700 million vehicles are used worldwide.
About 50 million vehicles are produced every
year.
Vehicle population is projected to grow close to
1300 million by the year 2030.

MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS

All Automobile vehicles which use Gasoline, Diesel

and Jet fuels, produce large amount of emissions of :
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Unburned fuel particles (HCs)
Nitrogen oxide (NOx)
Particulates Matter (PM)
Reason for occurrence :
HC and CO because the combustion efficiency is less
than 100%.
The NOx is formed during the very high
temperatures (>1500 oC) of the combustion process.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER
I. INTRODUCTION

A catalytic converter is a vehicle emission control

device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions
from an internal combustion engine.
A catalytic converter (CC) is placed inside the
tailpipe through which deadly exhaust gases
containing unburnt fuel, CO, NOx are emitted.
The function of the catalytic convertor is to
convert these gases into less harmful products
like CO2, water, N2 and O2 .

A Catalytic converter is installed near the engines exhaust

manifold. The unit heats up quickly due to its proximity to the
engine, and reduces cold-engine emissions by burning off
hydrocarbons from extra rich mixture used to start a cold
engine.

MATERIALS USUALLY USED IN

CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
The materials usually used in a catalytic
converter are:
Platinum
For both oxidation and reduction
Rhodium
Reduction Catalyst
Palladium
Oxidation Catalyst
Some other metals like Cerium, Iron, Manganese,
Nickel & Copper are also used, although each has
limitations.

II. TYPES OF CATALYTIC

CONVERTER
Catalytic converters are of two types:

2 way Catalytic Conv.

A two way CC has two
tasks:
Oxidation of carbon
monoxide to carbon
dioxide:
2CO + O2 2CO2

Oxidation of unburnt
hydrocarbons to carbon
dioxide and water:
CH4+ 2O2 CO2+ 2H2O

(a combustion reaction)

3 way Catalytic Conv.

A 3way CC has three tasks:

Reduction of nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and

oxygen:
2NOx xO2 + N2

Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon

dioxide:
2CO + O2 2CO2

Oxidation of unburnt hydrocarbons (HCs) to

carbon dioxide and water.

III. CONSTRUCTION OF CATALYTIC

CONVERTER

The catalytic converter consists of mainly two

components:

The core or substrate:

In modern catalytic converters, this is most often
a ceramic honeycomb, however stainless steel foil
honeycombs are also used. The purpose of the
core is to support the catalyst.

A Catalytic Converter

A Section view of
Catalytic Converter

Ceramic honeycombed catalytic converter

The washcoat :
In an effort to make converters more efficient, a
washcoat is utilized, most often 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 surface and
therefore more places for active precious metal
sites.
The catalyst is added to the washcoat (in
suspension) before application to the core.

IV. HOW IT WORKS !

The exhaust emissions are rich in CO, HCs and

NOx.
These toxic gases pass through the catalytic
converter.

And converts them into non-toxic and less

harmful gases.

V. DAMAGE TO CATALYTIC
CONVERTER
Catalyst poisoning occurs when the catalytic
converter is exposed to exhaust containing
substance that coat the working surfaces,
encapsulating the catalyst so that it cannot
contact and treat the exhaust.
The most notable contaminant is Lead.
Any condition that causes abnormally high levels
of unburned hydrocarbons raw or partiallyburnt fuel-to reach the converter will tend to
significantly elevate its temperature, bringing the
risk of a meltdown of the substrate and resultant
catalytic deactivation and severe exhaust
restriction.

A meltdown of catalytic converter

VI. LIMITATIONS OF A CATALYTIC

CONVERTER
Can not function well beyond 80,000 km.
Vehicles emit most of their pollution during the
first five minutes of engine operation before the
catalytic converter has warmed up sufficiently to
be effective.
Because of the external location and the use of
valuable precious metals including platinum,
palladium, rhodium and gold, converters are a
target for thieves.
A replace may cost over $1,000.

CONCLUSION
Environmental, ecological and health concern
result in increasingly stringent emissions
regulations of pollutant emissions from vehicle
engines.
Among all the types of technologies developed so
far, use of catalytic converters is the best way to
control auto exhaust emission.
The economical reasons, limited resources of
platinum group (noble) metal and some operating
limitations of platinum group metal based
catalytic converters have motivated the
investigation of alternative catalyst materials.

REFERENCES
I referred following websites and study material for
my investigation over the topic:
Websites www.wikipedia.com

www.scribd.com

www.howstuffworks.com

Study MaterialReview paper on Catalytic Converter for

Automotive Exhaust Emission Systems.
Subjective Approach On Exhaust Emissions-by
R.K Rajput (IC Engine).