Recommended Websites

How A Catalytic Converter Works

There are estimated half a billion cars on the roads worlwide and most of these vehicles are using diesel that burns in the engine. Exhausts coming from automobiles is one of the main sources of air pollution. In recent years, however, many car manufacturers have made many refinements to car engines and fuel systems to lessen the harmful gas emissions. A catalytic converter is one of these innovations. This device converts pollutants into less harmful emissions before they leave the car's exhaust system. But when this catalytic converter started? How does it works?

The catalytic converter was developed in 1975 when severe air pollution stem out. It wasn't made mandatory by the US government until 1976. Catalytic converter or cat for short is one of your vehicle's main emission control devices. It is one of the main components of exhaust system that filters the burn gas out from the car. It converts the unburned gases to burned gases. Inside the converter, the gases flow through a dense honeycomb like structure thats is made from ceramic and coated with the catalysts.

The reason why it looks like a honeycomb is to convert the gases more quickly and efficiently. In the catalytic converter, there are two different types of catalyst at work, a reduction catalyst and an oxidation catalyst. One of them tackles nitrogen oxide pollution using a chemical reaction called reduction. The other catalyst works by an opposite chemical process called oxidation, which happens by adding oxygen and turning carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide which non toxic. The chemical reaction in the exhaust system minimizes pollutants by up to 40%. Because of the extreme temperatures the catalytic converter produces, the catalyst martial can crack and come apart, clogging the outlet port of the converter causing low power. When this happens, it means that that you need to change your catalytic converter.

Automotive Sites:
Truck Racks
Truck Suspension
Warn Winches online
Warn Winch products on sale
Wheels
Winches
4x4 Parts Online
Lights for off-roading
Wheels