Know more about Catalytic Converters

Its name says it all: you are able to analyze exactly what a catalytic converter’s function is simply by breaking down its name. It is physically located just behind your engine on the bottom part of your vehicle, and is responsible for controlling the harmful emissions from your car. That is why, since 1975, the United States has been requiring that every vehicle produced domestically have a catalytic converter.

Vehicles generally have only one of these babies, an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic and harmful gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less toxic pollutants. Catalytic converters contain compounds or substances such as palladium, platinum, or rhodium that act as converters and catalysts. Without changing their original form, these compounds act like catalysts because they prompt a chemical reaction to occur. These compounds additionally act as converters as well, because they react with and convert dangerous gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides that are produced by the engine of your vehicle. This conversion into less harmful gases occurs before they travel out your exhaust system and into the free air of the environment.

Catalytic converters contain honeycomb structures (covered with tiny pores) that are coated with palladium, platinum, or rhodium depending on the stage of the catalyst. Exhaust emissions from the engine travel through the coated honeycomb structures and react with the compounds. Emissions travel through two different catalyst stages: an oxidation catalyst stage and a reduction catalyst stage. During the reduction catalyst stage, nitrogen oxides react with a platinum and rhodium coated honeycomb structure. When these harmful nitrogen oxides react with the catalysts (rhodium and platinum), the catalysts remove the nitrogen molecule, hold onto it, and release the oxygen molecules.

The nitrogen molecules left over will then join with other nitrogen molecules and exit through your exhaust system. During this stage, harmful nitrogen oxide gases are converted into harmless nitrogen and oxygen gases. During the oxidation catalyst stage, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are oxidized. This means that oxygen molecules will react with the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon molecules. These substances pass through a  palladium and platinum coated honeycomb structure, which acts as a catalyst that aids in the reaction. Very harmful hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide gases are converted during this stage into less harmful water vapors and carbon dioxide gases. Catalytic converters also work hand-in-hand with a control system. This control system controls the fuel injection system and monitors the emissions leaving the engine before they enter the catalytic converter. To detect how much oxygen is entering the exhaust system, this control system also contains an oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor monitors the amount of oxygen and will instruct the fuel injection system to decrease or increase the amount of oxygen used in the air mixture/fuel used to power the engine. The sensor also ensures there is sufficient oxygen in the exhaust system for the catalytic converter to use in the oxidation catalyst stage. Thus, catalytic converters are totally green, completely environmentally helpful & friendly.

I dare not imagine the state and quality of our world’s air if the many hundreds of millions of vehicles on the road didn’t have a catalytic converter. There you have it. That, my friends, is how and why a catalytic converter works. Go-Green Auto Service Corp in Brooklyn specializes in catalytic converters. So if ever you were to experience any difficulties with your vehicle’s catalytic converter, do not for a second hesitate to come on over and we’ll expertly take care of it in no time at the best price in the Tri-State area.