A catalytic converter is a device that uses a catalyst to convert three harmful

compounds in car exhaust into harmless compounds.

 Hydrocarbons (in the form of unburned gasoline) produce poisonous gas
Hydrocarbons → carbon dioxide & water
 Carbon monoxide (formed by the combustion of gasoline) – Causes smog
and acid rain. Carbon monoxide → carbon dioxide
 Nitrogen oxides (created when the heat in the engine forces nitrogen in the
air to combine with oxygen) – Causes smog.
Hydrocarbons → carbon dioxide & water
Used in automobiles to reduce emissions of poisonous compounds.
The substances are converted into less harmful substance before leaving the
car’s engine. To help reduce the production of toxic gases.
Catalysts are designed to work best at the high temperatures found in the engine
Catalyst contain : platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
There are 2 reactions happening inside engine : Oxidation and Reduction
1 . Reduction : 2NO => N2 + O2 or 2NO2 => N2 + 2O2

The first stage is reduction catalyst, it uses platinum and rhodium to reduce NOx
emissions. When Nitrogen Oxides (NO or NO2) made contact with the catalyst,
nitrogen atoms are removed, freeing the oxygen in form of O2 . Nitrogen from a
catalyst are bonded with nitrogen from other catalyst forming N2.
2. Oxidation : 2CO + O2 => 2CO2

The second stage is oxidation catalyst, it reduces unburned hydrocarbons and

carbon monoxide by burning them over a platinum and palladium catalyst. The
catalyst aids the reaction of the CO and hydrocarbons with the remaining oxygen in
the exhaust gas.
3 . Catalytic converters are less efficient when used with diesel engines, because
it runs colder than gasoline engines.It is good to preheat the catalytic converters
by using electric resistance heaters.

The catalytic converters are reliable because they reduce the pollution in gasoline
engines, even though it did not remove the harmful substance of carbon dioxide,
carbon dioxide is still safer than carbon monoxide. Hydrocarbons, carbon
monoxide & nitrogen oxides are converted into safer substance to make the
environment better.

Two main types of structures used in catalytic converters : honeycomb and ceramic
beads. Most cars today use a honeycomb structure.
Sulfur Dioxide are :

- Gas produced by burning fossil fuels or smelting ore that contain sulfur
- When it is combined with water and air, it produce acid rain
- It has no colour
- It has a distinguish odor

Sulfur Dioxide effects to the environment :

- Break Architecture and Buildings

- Human health
- Bad vegetation and plantation
- Not fertile soil
- Deforestation
- Aquatic (drop Ph level)

How can effects of sulfur emission be controlled?

1. Improved efficiency of conversion of fuel to electricity (this would reduce

pollutant emissions per unit of electricity generated);
2. Shift to nuclear generation as rapidly as possible since no sulfur oxide (or
particulate) is emitted from nuclear plants;
3. Shift fossil fuel plants to lower sulfur fuels;
4. Removal of sulfur from coal before combustion, or of the sulfur oxide after
combustion, but before it enters the stack: the techniques to be considered
are :

a. Coal preparation (conventional and advanced technology);

b. Solvent refined coal;
c. Low sulfur, low BTU gas from coal;
d. Fluidized bed combustion;

5. Shift fuel consumption from electricity to pipeline grade gas made from coal or
to solar energy.

There are two other ways to control sulfur emissions :

1 . Flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) is the process to remove SO2 from flue gas
emission. Sulfur dioxide in gases is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels and
many industrial processes such as gasoline refining as well as cement, paper, glass,
steel, iron and copper production. Sulfur dioxide made acid rain.

2 . Sorbent injection involves adding an alkali compound to the coal combustion

gases for reaction with the sulfur dioxide. Removes 30-60% of sulfur oxide
emissions.