The traditional converter is a metallic compartment connected to the vehicle’s exhaust system that reduces the polluting levels of the gases that the combustion is expelling, thanks to its components called catalysts.
What is a catalyst? This element, depending on its characteristics, can delay or advance chemical reactions. Thanks to a ceramic mesh inside, it acts as a filter for harmful components of the car. This mesh is composed of metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium. It should be noted that all vehicles manufactured since 1994 have this system, but not the old ones that by obligation must have the catalytic converter installed, to comply with international pollutant emission standards and be able to obtain the corresponding permits to circulate in the country.
How Does It Work?
The operation of the catalytic converter or catalytic converter refining is simple since it converts harmful gases through contact with the catalytic mesh included in its interior. In this way, the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide that come from the engine are converted into water vapor and carbon dioxide, while the nitrogen oxides are transformed into molecular nitrogen. Thus, highly polluting gases generated in combustion become elements that are commonly found in our atmosphere.
For the correct operation of the catalytic converter, it must be well adjusted to the exhaust system. This will maintain the normal pressure at the air outlet through the tube, avoiding failures in engine power delivery.
In addition, other parts of the car or truck need to work perfectly, such as the combustion air sensors and the spark plugs themselves, since they allow the fuel to burn optimally and, if they present problems, they could cause that the gasoline or oil reaches the converter in a liquid state, which can even lead to the converter breaking.
The Benefits To The Environment
The first advantage of its use in current vehicles is reducing urban pollution worldwide, a serious problem in times where global warming and caring for the environment are recurring themes when setting priorities within the transportation industry. Meanwhile, worldwide it is a vital element in the operation of vehicles since new technologies can replace what a catalytic converter is, and its operation has not yet appeared.
In addition, the catalytic converter provides benefits in terms of vehicle restriction since the cars that have it have a green seal, having fewer days of driving prohibition than those that do not have. For this reason, the use of the catalytic converter is essential since it is an element that contributes to caring for the environment and allows a more optimal operation of the engine.
