Abstract

A proven viable technology to reduce vehicular exhaust gas emission is the catalytic converter. Although catalyst converters are an effective and efficient method to react to certain pollutants, they are expensive due to the use of noble metals like palladium, platinum and rhodium. Various research has been carried out to find a viable alternative to the noble metal catalyst that can react over vehicular pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), unburnt hydrocarbon (UBHC) and particulate matter (PM) emitted by the combustion of hydrocarbon burnt internal combustion engine. This paper investigates the emission characteristics of a nano-particle-coated catalytic converter in a conventional fossil-fuelled compression ignition engine. The catalyst used in the research is a nano-particle of metal oxides such as aluminium oxide (nano-sized Al2O3) particle and titanium oxide nano-sized (TiO2) particle. This catalyst is less expensive compared to a noble catalyst. Experiments were made on a single cylinder four strokes water-cooled diesel-fuelled compression ignition engine with a catalytic converter coated with alternative nano-particles. The exhaust gas was allowed to pass through the nano-sized catalyst deposited over the honeycomb structure of the substrate of the catalytic converter and the emission was measured using a five-gas analyser. The result showed a decreased level of oxides of nitrogen.