Catalytic converters

Cats are used in the exhaust system of a car that uses unleaded petrol. They
reduce the emission output level of:

Hydro carbon
Carbon monoxide
Nitrous oxides(NOx)

The cat is made out of a catalyst (platinum or rhodium or both) covered over o
ceramic honeycomb shaped block (Monolithic converter) or on small ceramic
beads (Pallet converter)

Types of cats
Mini cat
The mini cat is very small and it is mounted close to the engine so that it can
heat up faster to reduce emissions during engine warm up. It is always used
together with a bigger main cat.

Two way cat (Oxidation cat)

This cat can only reduce two types of exhaust emission gases:

Hydro carbon
Carbon monoxide

Three way cat (Reduction cat)

This cat can reduce all three the exhaust emission gases by making use of an
additional catalyst bed.

Dual bed cat

This cat has two catalyst units, the three way cat and the two way cat in one
housing. The catalyst units are separated by a mixing chamber on the middle.
The exhaust gases first flow through the three way cat where all the gases are
reduced. In the mixing chamber air is forced in to let the remaining carbon
monoxide and hydro carbon emissions continue burning before going through
the two way cat that remove the carbon monoxide and hydro carbon. When the
engine is cold the fresh air is being pumped into the exhaust manifold instead
of the mixing chamber.

The three sources of vehicle pollution

Engine crankcase fumes

Fuel vapour
Engine exhaust gases

The best way to reduce the exhaust emission gases is to increase the
combustion efficiency.

Modifications to reduce emissions

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Lower compression ratio

Leaner air-fuel mixture
Heated inlet manifolds
Smaller combustion chamber surface area/volume ratio
Increase valve gap
High operation temps necessitating harder valves and seats
Wider spark plug gaps
Higher operating temps.

Emission control systems

These systems help reduce the air pollution caused by vehicles

Thermostatic air cleaner system

This system is designed to warm up the air entering the carburettor during
start up and to maintain a controlled temp of the intake air.
Operation
The system has a vacuum supply hose connecting to the thermal valve, and
then from the thermal valve there is a hose connecting to the vacuum
diaphragm which opens and closes the air control flap in the snorkel. When the
engine is cold the thermal valve is closed causing a full vacuum on the vacuum
diaphragm which then closes the air control flap to route warm air coming from
the exhaust manifold to flow through to the engine. Depending on the air temp
at the thermal valve the diaphragm will regulate how much warm air and cold
air it must route through.

Air cleaner carbon element system

The system is designed to absorb fuel vapour when the engine is not running
Operation
The carbon element in the air filter housing attracts the excess fuel vapour in
the carburettor when the engine is not running. When the engine starts
running the air flowing through the element pulls the vapour back into the
engine for burning.

Fuel evaporative emission control system

This system reduces hydro carbons emitted from the fuel tank by using active
charcoal in a carbon canister
Operation

Fuel vapour from the fuel tank is led into the canister to be stored when the
engine is not running. When the engine starts running the vapours are purged
by air drawn in through the bottom of the canister and led to the intake
manifold. At higher speeds the vapours are drawn from the main and constant
purge valve.

Exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR)

The system reroutes exhaust gases back to the intake manifold to lower the
engine temp and reduce NOx emission gases. The amount of gas recirculated
is controlled by an EGR valve. There are two types of EGR valves:

Vacuum modulated valve

Pressure modulated valve

Air injection system

This system forces fresh air into the exhaust ports to reduce hydro carbon and
carbon monoxide emissions.
Operation
When the engine is running the spinning vanes from the air pump force air into
the diverter valve, check valve, air injection manifold and onto the exhaust
valves. The oxygen from the air injection system causes the unburnt exhaust
gases to continue burning. During deceleration the diverter valve blocks the air
to prevent any back firing.

Pulse air systems

The system works the same way as the air injection system but instead of
using an air pump it uses normal exhaust pressure pulsations to draw air into
the exhaust manifold