Performance Enhancement of Three-way Catalytic Converter using External Heating Source: An Experimental Approach

The stringent emission norms for ultra-low emission vehicle pose challenging problems on automotive exhaust gas treatment. When engine starts, the catalytic converter does almost nothing to reduce emission characteristics, until it is desirably heated. Preheating the catalytic converter is a noble technique to reduce exhaust emissions. Present work lays the method of low temperature conduct of the converter, when the mainstream of the emissions befalls. The test was conducted on a four-cylinder, spark-ignition engine in order to enhance the performance of the catalytic converter when heated two minutes prior to engine start, through a heating gun actuated with a radio key at around 500K. The values of HC and CO were measured at idling rpm using MRU DELTA 1600L exhaust gas analyser and NOx values were measured using CRYPTON 295 five-gas analyser. Preheating Catalytic Convertor (CC), results in reduction of CO (58.82%), HC (47.01%) and NOx (36.36%) at engine start-up condition; when compared with exhaust of CC at 1500rpm, employed without heating gun. Similar trends of reduction of exhaust emissions were found at 2000 and 2500rpm.