Catalytic converter could make cars cleaner, cheaper to run
A new type of catalytic converter has been developed that could make cars cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.
Tests suggest the prototype device could reduce fuel consumption in a standard vehicle by up to 3%.
What's more, inventor Dr Benjamin Kingsbury - a scientist at Imperial College London - has devised a method of increasing the active surface area of the microscopic channels.
Not only does this mean that the catalytic converter can eliminate more pollutants, but because the metal is able to be distributed in a more effective way, up to 80% less of it is required.
The prototype is also predicted to perform better than existing models because the rare metal degrades less over the lifetime of the component.
Laboratory tests suggest that it deteriorates by only 4% over a distance of 100,000km, compared to 35% for a standard converter.
Dr Kingsbury commented: "Catalytic converters are the most important component in a vehicle for controlling exhaust emissions. Yet their design has not changed since they were first developed in the 1940s.
"The prototype I have developed could make cars cheaper to run because they use less fuel. It could potentially help manufacturers to reduce their costs. Drivers could also be a major beneficiary of this device, which could save on fuel costs and ultimately lead to reduced CO emissions."
Kingsbury says the design of the device increases fuel efficiency because it prevents back pressure, which is a build up of gases that can make the engine work harder, affecting its performance.
With funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering, he is now looking to take his prototype into the marketplace.
