Effects of Gas Velocity and Temperature on Nitric Oxide Conversion in Simulated Catalytic Converter

Abstract

Problem statement: Gaseous emissions from gasoline engine such as carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxides were usually reduced in three-way catalytic converter simultaneously around theoretical fuel and air combustion. Engine speed and load and other parameters were varied over a wide range of operating conditions, resulting in different exhaust gas composition and condition intake into catalytic converter. This work was studied the conversion of Nitric Oxide (NO) in exhaust gas catalytic converter affected by gas velocity and inlet temperature using numerical modeling. Approach: The simulation was based on a one-dimensional time-dependent model within a single monolith channel of the converter. Upon certain assumptions, the study was considered heterogeneous combustion reaction between gas and solid phases based on lumped kinetic reactions. In this study, constants and variables used for mass and heat transfers were dependent on gas or solid phase temperature and mole fraction. Finite difference scheme incorporated with the generated computer code was established for solving species and energy balances within gas and solid phases. Results: The NO conversion was increased with transient period in initial and reached steady state at different values. The lower inlet gas temperature was resulted in lesser NO conversion at the same inlet NO concentration and gas velocity. The light-off temperatures were up to 520 K and a sudden rise in NO conversion was from 550-605 K and decreasing onwards, generating working temperature window. NO conversion increased throughout the catalyst bed from the inlet and the conversion decreased as the gas velocity increased. Conclusion/Recommendations: Gas space velocity and gas temperature intake to the converter affected the NO conversion over the time and the axial distance from the catalyst bed inlet. The numerical results have summarily demonstrated a good approximation compared to experimental data provided in the literature. Further investigation of such effects on other gaseous components is recommended for future work.