Where is the three-way catalytic converter located in a car?
2 Answers
Location of the three-way catalytic converter in a car: Generally, the three-way catalytic converter is installed at a section outside the exhaust manifold of the engine. Some vehicle models are equipped with two three-way catalytic converters. The automotive three-way catalytic converter is the most important external purification device installed in the vehicle's exhaust system. Below is relevant information about the automotive three-way catalytic converter: 1. The automotive three-way catalytic converter is the most important external purification device installed in the vehicle's exhaust system. It converts harmful gases such as CO, HC, and NOx emitted from the vehicle's exhaust into harmless carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen through oxidation and reduction reactions. 2. Because this catalytic converter can simultaneously convert the three main harmful substances in the exhaust into harmless substances, it is called a three-way catalytic converter. 3. The working principle of the three-way catalytic converter is: When high-temperature exhaust gases pass through the purification device, the purifying agents in the three-way catalytic converter enhance the activity of CO, HC, and NOx, promoting certain oxidation-reduction chemical reactions. Among them, CO is oxidized at high temperatures to form colorless, non-toxic carbon dioxide gas; HC compounds are oxidized at high temperatures into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide; NOx is reduced to nitrogen and oxygen. The three harmful gases are transformed into harmless gases, thereby purifying the vehicle's exhaust.
I've seen many friends crawling under their cars looking for the catalytic converter. Actually, this thing is located on the exhaust pipe near the engine section. You can think of it as the first purification station after exhaust gases leave the engine, shaped like a square box connected to the exhaust pipe. Most vehicle models install it in the middle of the chassis near the firewall, and you can spot its metal casing connected to the front exhaust pipe by looking down through the bottom of the engine compartment. I remember last time when I helped my younger brother check his old Focus, the catalytic converter was just a fist's distance away from the oxygen sensor. This component must be close to a high-temperature environment to work efficiently, so anything located too far back near the end of the exhaust pipe definitely isn't it. If you notice the front section of the exhaust pipe is dented during car repairs, you've basically hit it.
