What is the function of a catalytic converter?
1 Answers
The function of a catalytic converter is to transform harmful gases such as CO, HC, and NOx emitted from vehicle exhaust into harmless carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen through oxidation and reduction reactions. Performance characteristics of a catalytic converter: The three-way catalytic converter is stable in performance, reliable in quality, and has a long service life. The carrier component of the three-way catalytic converter is a porous ceramic material installed in a specially designed exhaust pipe. It is called a carrier because it does not participate in the catalytic reaction itself but is coated with precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium. It converts HC and CO in the exhaust into water and CO2, while decomposing NOx into nitrogen and oxygen. HC and CO are toxic gases, excessive inhalation of which can be fatal, and NOx directly contributes to the formation of photochemical smog. Working principle of a catalytic converter: When high-temperature vehicle exhaust passes through the purification device, the purifying agent in the three-way catalytic converter enhances the activity of CO, HC, and NOx, promoting certain oxidation-reduction chemical reactions. Among these, CO is oxidized into colorless, non-toxic carbon dioxide gas at high temperatures; HC compounds are oxidized into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide; and NOx is reduced into nitrogen and oxygen. The three harmful gases are transformed into harmless gases, thereby purifying the vehicle exhaust.
