This is the second part of a two-part study that compared the degree of deterioration of catalytic converters taken from vehicles with low and high odometer readings. Part two details the catalytic performance characteristics of the catalysts that were physically characterised, according to chemical contamination and thermal degradation, previously in part one. The catalytic activity was determined using engine dynamometer and laboratory tests. The low odometer catalysts showed largely uniform light-off temperatures for CO, HC and NO that were increased in the order of 20 % relative to a new catalyst. The steady state activity was largely unaffected. The dominant deactivation mechanism of these catalysts was found to be the baseline thermal deterioration of the alumina washcoat under normal vehicle operating conditions. The deactivation shown in the high odometer catalysts was highly varied with the greatest loss of activity resulting from exposure to severe thermal conditions. The best performing catalyst in the group showed similar activity to the low odometer group whilst the worst catalyst was totally ineffective due to extreme thermal exposure.An induced thermal deactivation of a catalyst in the low odometer group was conducted to simulate a prolonged high temperature excursion possible in a vehicle. The result was a large loss of HC conversion activity and a narrowing of the lambda window.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Deterioration of Automotive Catalytic Converters (Part 2): Catalytic Performance Characterisation


    Additional title:

    Sae Technical Papers



    Conference:

    SAE International Fall Fuels & Lubricants Meeting & Exhibition ; 2001



    Publication date :

    2001-09-24




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Deterioration of Automotive Catalytic Converters: Physical Catalyst Characterisation

    Akolekar, Deepak B. / Watson, Harry C. / Föger, Karl et al. | SAE Technical Papers | 2001


    Contribution of Automotive Catalytic Converters

    Searles, R. / Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Materialkunde | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002


    Automotive exhaust headers & catalytic converters

    European Patent Office | 2015

    Free access

    Contribution of Automotive Catalytic Converters

    Searles, Robert A. | Wiley | 2002


    Material aspects in automotive catalytic converters

    International Congress Material Aspects in Automotive Catalytic Converters / Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde | TIBKAT | 2002