Types of Catalytic Converters

With the standardisation of vehicles and control of emissions common throughout the UK, catalytic converters have become an essential part of vehicles in the country. As the name suggests, these devices act as a catalyst, converting harmful exhaust gases into their benign counterparts. Under the Ministry of Transport guidelines, a vehicle without a catalytic converter cannot drive on UK roads, making them a crucial part of any vehicle.

Despite being a common vehicle part, many remain unaware that these converters come in various types. Understanding each type is important as it can help in finding the right type for your vehicle. In this article, Turborevs features some of the different types of catalytic converters.

Types of Catalytic Converters

The market offers three types of catalytic converters, with each one entailing a unique functioning procedure. However, the basic procedure of emissions going through a catalytic process to produce less harmful variants remains the same.

Oxidation Catalyst

In an oxidation catalyst, oxygen serves as a catalyst, reacting with carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to form less harmful gases such as carbon dioxide and H2O. The process may seem simple in this type of catalytic converter, yet there are a few requirements that must be met. For the process of oxidation to work seamlessly, there should be pure air moving through the exhaust manifold continuously. 

Three-Way Catalyst

Three-way catalysts are regarded as the ideal type for all vehicles since these catalysts convert a wide range of harmful gases into their less harmful counterparts. Apart from hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, a three-way catalyst is also capable of converting oxides of nitrogen into less harmful variants. 

Three-Way Catalyst and Oxidation Catalyst

Being a combination of the oxidation catalyst and the three-way catalyst, this model uses both methods of filtering out harmful gases. The oxidation process converts hydrocarbons into H20 and other less harmful gases, while more potent gases are converted using the three-way model. This ensures that no harmful exhaust emission escapes into the atmosphere.

Conclusion

With calls for vehicles to be more eco-friendly at an all-time high, catalytic converters have become essential, especially in the UK where vehicles are not allowed on the road without having one installed. Since these converters have a few types, understanding each one is essential to ensure that you get the right one for your vehicle.

To find the catalytic converters for your vehicle, visit Turborevs and take your driving experience to the next level.