Everyone might drive a vehicle, also may know the functioning of all components. Every single mechanism plays an equal role to get wanted performance while the wheels are dynamic. One of those components is the catalytic converter - an emission control component.
Have you noticed that in your vehicle?
Yes, it is the part of an engine exhaust system located after the exhaust manifold (if the turbocharger is present, then it is placed after turbo).
Generally, to propel the vehicle, the engine has used. So to run the engine, fuel is combusted inside the combustion chamber. These fuels have mainly structured hydrocarbons with various additives as per the required volume (additives used to improve the efficiency level of an engine). While combustion, fuel reacts together with air and produces some byproducts like
- Carbon dioxide (CO2),
- Water (H2O),
- Carbon monoxide (CO),
- Nitrogen oxide (NOx),
- Particulate matter (PM),
- Unburned hydrocarbons (HC), etc..,
The last four listed byproducts are very harmful to humans as well as the environment. So to reduce these harmful emissions, the catalytic converter has deployed after the exhaust manifold.
How do they work?
This catalytic converter looks like a honeycomb structure constructed using noble metals, which act as a catalyst for these outlet gases. It converts high toxic gases emitted from the exhaust into less toxic or harmless gases internally by undergoing oxidation and reduction reactions, which is by oxidizing CO and HC with oxygen and reducing NOx to nitrogen and oxygen.
Oxidation occurs to oxidize CO and HC with oxygen and forms CO2 and H2O, whereas reduction also materializes to reduce NOx into nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2).
Everything is acceptable, then why do thefts happen, particularly catalytic converters stealing?
The reason is that the materials used for shaping this component are noble metals, which are more resistant to chemical threats.
This honeycomb structure inside has surfaced with a combination of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh). The cost of those metallic elements is more expensive than the gold because these are rare elements in the world extracted from mining. That's the only reason for stealing these catalytic converters.
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