Exhaust analysis of four stroke single cylinder diesel engine using copper based catalytic converter

Exhaust emissions of much concern are Hydrocarbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) from the automotive vehicles. Catalytic converter oxidizes harmful CO and HC emission to CO2 and H2O in the exhaust system and thus the emission is controlled. There are several types of problems associated with noble metal based catalytic converter. These factors encourage for the possible application of non-noble metal based material such as copper as a catalyst, which may by proper improvements be able to show the desired activity and can also offer better durability characteristics due to its poison resistant nature. The present work is aimed at using copper as a catalyst for catalytic converter. Wire mesh copper catalytic converter is developed for a volume of 1.54 m3. The experiment is carried out on four stroke single cylinder CI engine. The optimum values of exhaust emissions found at full load are HC (126 ppm), CO (0.03 %). By using copper based catalytic converter it is found that HC is reduced by 33 % and CO by 66 % at full load.