Reducing Car Pollution

By Christopher Lbker

INTRODUCTION

("IB Biology/Chemistry.)

The Problem
Car

exhausts are producing harmful greenhouse gasses, not natural to our environment. These greenhouse gasses are causing damage to the ozone layer. The amount of these greenhouse gasses can be reduced by an invention used in most modern cars today: catalytic converters.

The Three-Way Catalytic Converter

Reduces

mainly:

the toxicity of car emissions,

Carbon Monoxide Hydrocarbons Nitrogen Compounds

It

was introduced in the 1970s and has since then become increasingly used in modern diesel cars.

(Wright, Matthew.)

The Science Behind Catalytic Converters

The modern catalytic converters use precious and expensive metals which act as catalysts:

The harmful reactants:

Platinum & Rhodium in the first honeycomb. Platinum & palladium in the second.

The products:

Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen compounds Hydrocarbons(Unused fuel residue)

Carbon Dioxide Nitrogen Water

("Deconstructed: Catalytic Converter.)

These products are created through an oxidising reaction(George, Samuel J).

Catalytic Converters & Collsion Theory

Temperature The temperatures have to be extremely high(1300 Degrees Celsius) to overcome the activation energy and for the particles to move faster and therefore more collisions occur. The bonds broken and formed also release energy and so heat up the converter to even higher temperature. Surface area & concentration There are thousands of small, square tubes which, if spread out, would cover and entire football field. This means that there is more surface area for the emission molecules and the small space makes them more likely to react. Rate of the Reaction - These factor also allow the rate of the reaction to accelerate greatly and to the point where one molecule passes through the converter in 1/10 of a second. ("Deconstructed: Catalytic Converter.)

How Catalytic Converters can help solve Pollution

When

catalytic converters are installed into vehicles, it can significantly reduce the toxicity of the emissions. If they were to be used in all vehicles, then the amount of emissions would be reduced dramatically. Ultimately, the damage has already been done however it may be possible to reduce emissions from now on.

The Chemical Reactions

4HC + 5O2

2CO + O2

The Hydrocarbons only react in the second block of the catalytic converter. The interaction with the withheld oxygen molecules at the high temperatures force new bonds to form which then create carbon dioxide and water. The metals of the second block in the catalytic converter withhold oxygen and at the extreme temperatures, the carbon monoxide forms a bond with another oxygen molecule and becomes carbon dioxide. The Nitrogen Oxide is the first to react and does so in the first block of the catalytic converter. This causes the bond between nitrogen and oxygen to be released and then the diatomic elements combine to nitrogen and oxygen.

4CO2 + 2H2O

2CO2

2NO

N2 + O2

("Deconstructed: Catalytic Converter.)

("RideLust.)

The Effect of Catalytic Converters in the World

Catalytic Converters are expensive and it is therefore not everyone who can afford a car with one. Mopeds, scooters and other small vehicles have shown to emit gasses of very high toxicity.

This is one of the main reasons why highly polluted cities in the Asian countries such as Thailand, China and India are so polluted(Reuter.). A cheaper and perhaps more effective would be useful because as the research shows, the problem is actually in more densely populated countries and not so much in Europe.

("Worldmapper: The World as You've Never Seen It before.)

("Worldmapper: The World as You've Never Seen It before.)

The Effect of Catalytic Converters and the Environment

Generally:

However there are still some pressing issues:

Catalytic converters have drastically reduced the amount of toxic emissions from cars by reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses that are exhausted from the vehicles. Extracting the metals is also harmful to the environment(Hudson, Travis L.).

Studies have shown that a 50cc four-stroke moped emitted three to ten times the hydrocarbons regulated limit and a two-stroke moped emitted ten to thirty times that amount.(Schramm, Jesper) A catalytic converter needs time to warm up to its optimal operating temperature.("Catalytic Converters.)

Catalytic Converters Economy & Politics

The metals can cost more than 220,000 USD per kilogram("Deconstructed: Catalytic Converter.).

However this only increases the price of the average car by roughly 250 - 500 USD ("Catalytic Converters.) ("Fuels
and Society - Effect of Catalytic Converters on Auto Manufacturers.)

On the other hand that puts more money in circulation and opens job opportunities and new businesses. These costs mean that less developed countries cannot afford a car and much less one with a catalytic converter. Though these economical factors do matter, they are worth the environmental benefits which is also why countries have placed a law that requires catalytic converters. ("Catalytic Converter Laws.)

My Opinion on Catalytic Converters

All

inventions originate from a requirement and there has been a requirement for the reduction of car emissions in the past couple of decades. However there are still obstacles to overcome with the amount of time it takes to warm up, price and the lack of an effect on some of the vehicles that emit the most harmful gasses.

Works Cited

"Catalytic Converter Laws." Catalytic Converter. ImageBuilders Web Design, 2004. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.catalyticconverter.org/law/index.htm>. "Catalytic Converters." NSLS Everyday Science. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nsls.bnl.gov/about/everyday/catalytic.asp>. "Deconstructed: Catalytic Converter." The Science Channel. Discovery Communications, LLC, 24 Oct. 2008. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. "Exhaust Flow in an Automobile." Quick Honda's World. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.quickhonda.net/exhaust.htm>. "Fuels and Society - Effect of Catalytic Converters on Auto Manufacturers." Chemistry and Decision Making. National Science Foundation. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. George, Samuel J. The Catalytic Converter. 2002. PDF. Hudson, Travis L., Frederick D. Fox, and Geoffrey S. Plumlee. Metal Mining and the Environment. Alexandria, Virginia: American Geological Institute, 1999. PDF. "IB Biology/Chemistry." : IB Chemistry on Acid, Lewis Acid, Transition Metal and Ligand. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://lawrencekok.blogspot.com/2011/05/ib-chemistry-on-acid-lewisacid.html>. Reuter. "Australian Firm Targets Asia's Polluting Scooters." Royal Society of New Zealand. Royal Society of New Zealand, 30 Aug. 1994. Web. 2 Mar. 2012. "RideLust." Junkies Love Catalytic Converters: But How Do They Work? Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ridelust.com/junkies-love-catalytic-converters/>. Schramm, Jesper, Christian Knudsen, Morten Mandrupsen, and Casper Thorhauge. Emissions from a Moped Fueled by Gasoline/Ethanol Mixtures. Lyngby, Denmark: Technical Unviversity of Denmark - Department of Mechanical Engineering. PDF. "Worldmapper: The World as You've Never Seen It before." Social and Spatial Inequalities (SASI), Department of Geography , University of Sheffield. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. Wright, Matthew. "What Exactly Is a Catalytic Converter?" About.com Auto Repair. New York Times Company. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

Images

"IB Biology/Chemistry." : IB Chemistry on Acid, Lewis Acid, Transition Metal and Ligand. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://lawrencekok.blogspot.com/2011/05/ibchemistry-on-acid-lewis-acid.html>. "RideLust." Junkies Love Catalytic Converters: But How Do They Work? Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ridelust.com/junkies-love-catalyticconverters/>. "Worldmapper: The World as You've Never Seen It before." Social and Spatial Inequalities (SASI), Department of Geography , University of Sheffield. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.