Inside converters

Clark St. The exhaust that comes directly out of internal-combustion engines still contains quantities of unburned fuel, oil and other substances. Catalytic converters are small chambers where those unburned substances are combined with oxygen and burned more completely.

The result? When did they start being widely used? It all started back in , when the U. Are they used on most kinds of internal-combustion engines? You will not find them, however, on propane-powered engines or of course on electric cars. The function of the catalytic converter is to convert toxic exhaust fumes and gases into less toxic ones. In other words, the catalytic converter reduces the number of hydrocarbon emissions in the exhaust fumes that are generated by the internal combustion engine.

This is a very innovative procedure which requires the chemical composition of these gases to be altered before they leave the vehicle. Have you ever wondered what is inside a catalytic converter which makes this process successful? Imagine a metal chamber with a small set of passageways inside of it. A lot of people compare the converter to a honeycomb because of its many tiny passageways. But this particular honeycomb is constructed from a ceramic-based composite and lots of precious metals.

As the exhaust gases go into the honeycomb of the catalytic converter, they pass through several different passageways. When this happens, a chemical reaction occurs which draws out the toxic pollutants. Each of these passageways is coated with metallic catalysts, such as palladium, platinum, and rhodium.

These metals contribute to the chemical reaction which reduces the hydrocarbons, NOx gases, and carbon monoxide in the exhaust fumes. Michaus Williams said the city, like the rest of the country, is experiencing an increase in catalytic converter thefts because of the valuable metals they contain.

This year the department has taken 42 reports of such thefts, Williams said, compared to 24 during the same period last year. The reason for the thefts and why the Prius is so popular comes down to the catalytic converter components, some of which are literally worth more than gold these days. A catalytic converter is part of a vehicle's exhaust system that converts airborne pollutants emitted by the engine into less harmful gasses. Metals like palladium and rhodium within the device are used remove the hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other harmful emissions.

The price of those metals has skyrocketed in the last three years, making catalytic converters hot commodities. As a hybrid vehicle, the Prius doesn't generate emissions when in electric mode so the car's catalytic converter often is cleaner — as is the pricey metal inside. The nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau is calling on Illinois lawmakers to adopt legislation making it harder to buy and sell stolen catalytic converters. A bureau study on reported converter thefts shows on average per month were stolen in , per month in and 1, per month in Arl recalls hearing what sounded like a woodpecker in the front yard of his home about a.

He said he now believes the racket was the removal of his car's catalytic converter. When he heard the same woodpecker clamor again on Monday coming from a nearby condominium complex, he hopped in his car in search of the source, Arl said.