converter unlimited change harmful substances in a car’s exhaust gasses, such as carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons, into less harmful substances like carbon dioxide and water vapour by means of chemical reactions.
Audi RS Q3 – exhaust
The interior of the ‘cat’ is usually filled with a honeycomb structure onto which a coating is applied that contains a catalyst – the substance that creates a reaction with the exhaust gasses, changing their chemical structure.
what is Precious metals?
Precious metals like palladium, rhodium and platinum are commonly used as the converter unlimited and these have an intrinsic value that means they’re worth salvaging and recycling when the car is scrapped.
Unfortunately, these precious metals also make converter unlimited a target for thieves.
Toyota to combat UK catalytic converter theft via covert markings
converter unlimited need to work at high temperatures of up to 400 degrees to maximise their efficiency.
To achieve this optimum operating temperature the first units were positioned close to the car’s engine but this caused its own issues and the cat has gradually been mover further down the exhaust system, away from the engine’s heat source.
In today’s cars the converter unlimited is found underneath the vehicle towards the exhaust outlet, a position that makes it accessible to thieves who can cut the whole unit out from underneath the car.
Types of converter unlimited s
There are various types of converter unlimited . A simple ‘two-way’ oxidation cat works to turn carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrocarbons, which are basically particles of unburnt fuel, to carbon dioxide and water.
More advanced ‘three-way’ catalytic converters are fitted to modern cars and these do the above while also reducing emissions of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which together are more commonly known as NOx, a major cause of localised air pollution.
• What is AdBlue?
Diesel cars typically have special converter unlimited to cope with the specific emissions from compression ignition diesel engines.
These Diesel Oxidation Catalyst units are routinely paired with additional exhaust treatment technologies such as exhaust gas recirculation, Diesel Particulate Filters to trap soot and Selective Catalytic Reduction which uses injections of AdBlue urea solution to remove NOx.