Green Living Catalytic Converters

So if almost all newer cars these days have these to reduce noxious exhaust emissions, why is there still a problem with poor air quality? And why does car exhaust still stink?

"
A catalytic converter is an emissions control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas to less toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction (an oxidation and a reduction reaction). Catalytic converters are used with internal combustion engines fueled by either petrol(gasoline) or diesel—including lean-burn engines as well as kerosene heaters and stoves.

The first widespread introduction of catalytic converters was in the United States automobilemarket. To comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's stricter regulation of exhaust emissions, most gasoline-powered vehicles starting with the 1975 model year must be equipped with catalytic converters.[1][2][3][4] These "two-way" converters combined oxygen with carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water(H2O). In 1981, two-way catalytic converters were rendered obsolete by "three-way" converters that also reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx);[1] however, two-way converters are still used for lean-burn engines. This is because three-way-converters require either rich or stoichiometric combustion to successfully reduce NOx."

 

"These "two-way" converters combined oxygen with carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water(H2O)."

Clearly, more than this is coming out of exhaust pipes today. Are we doing enough to enforce proper use of Catalytic converters by industry? Should BC bring back Aircare?

 

test your car's Catalytic converter to test if you need a new one: (for the mechanically inclined)

 

History:

History[edit]
The catalytic converter was invented by Eugene Houdry, a French mechanical engineer and expert in catalytic oil refining,[7] who moved to the United States in 1930. When the results of early studies of smog in Los Angeles were published, Houdry became concerned about the role of smoke stack exhaust and automobile exhaust in air pollution and founded a company called Oxy-Catalyst. Houdry first developed catalytic converters for smoke stacks called "cats" for short, and later developed catalytic converters for warehouse forklifts that used low grade, unleaded gasoline.[8] In the mid-1950s, he began research to develop catalytic converters for gasoline engines used on cars. He was awarded United States Patent 2,742,437 for his work.[9]

Widespread adoption of catalytic converters did not occur until more stringent emission control regulations forced the removal of the anti-knock agent tetraethyl lead from most types of gasoline. Lead is a "catalyst poison" and would effectively disable a catalytic converter by forming a coating on the catalyst's surface.[10]

Catalytic converters were further developed by a series of engineers including John J. Mooney, Carl D. Keith, Antonio Eleazar at the Engelhard Corporation,[11] creating the first production catalytic converter in 1973.[12]

William C. Pfefferle developed a catalytic combustor for gas turbines in the early 1970s, allowing combustion without significant formation of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.[13][14]"

So why is this a problem today? Diesel fuel?

 

New tailpipe filter attachment reduces CO2 emissions:

'What makes the CO2ube so interesting is that it uses chemical processes to convert emitted CO2 into less harmful byproducts. It does this through two reactions.'

http://cars.reviewed.com/features/photosynthetic-co2ube-attaches-to-exhaust-pipe-to-slash-emissions