CHEN 3001 TP Assignment PDF

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OXIDATION OF FLUE GASES
THROUGH A CATALYTIC
CONVERTER

Introduction
As the time is changing the level of pollution is also changing. The negative footprint on the
environment is increasing, particularly on the air quality. The exhaust gases that are released
from the engine of an automobile contains many hazardous as well as pollution causing
agents such as Carbon Monoxide (CO), unburnt hydrocarbons and Nitrogen Dioxide and
Nitric Oxides. A catalytic converter reduces the level of pollution by converting these
harmful substances into a lesser harmful forms. The Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitric Oxides are
reduced to free nitrogen. CO gets oxidised to Carbon Dioxide (C02) and the hydrocarbons are
oxidised to get C02 and water vapour (H2O). This oxygen is basically extracted from the first
stage of reduction. This is carried out a reduction chamber in which other are plenty of
monolithic tubular structures so as to provide a large surface area that would help in better
oxidation. The catalyst used is Platinum and Rhodium. They reduce the Nitrogen Dioxide and
Nitric Oxides under heat which a catalyst converter is not deprived because a catalytic
converter is located near the engines. The next section is the oxidation in which Platinum and
Palladium is used as the catalysts. The free oxygen from the stage 1 is used to oxidise C0 and
unburnt hydrocarbons. Both the redox reactions require heat to be carried out and therefore
ceramic is used as a substrate material because it remains hot for a longer time. There are two
common types of catalytic converters, Two-Way (2-way) and the other one is a Three-way
catalytic converters (3-way). The two-way converter performs oxidation of CO and unburnt
hydrocarbons only while q three-way can perform reduction of Nitric Oxide and Nitrogen
Dioxide.