Catalytic converters are emission-control devices that retain been used in passenger automobiles on account of 1975. Thieves steal the converters from wrecking yards, car dealerships and personal vehicles. Catalytic converters can fetch anywhere from $75 to $150, depending on where they are sold. The rising cost of precious metals in the past decade has increased the theft of converters.Criticism
Houdry became concerned about high smog levels after a report was published in Los Angeles that found the rising use of passenger cars was causing smog. Houdry immediately began working on a solution to the air pollution problem. Shortly after the report, he founded Oxy-Catalyst, a company that sought to develop a device to help curb the emissions of vehicles. Houdry developed the first catalytic converter in 1953, but the application was not useful because the lead in United States gasoline destroyed the catalyst in the converter. The catalytic converter would be put on hold until lead started to be discontinued as a fuel additive. Houdry died in 1962. He never saw how his invention would come to change the world.
First Use
Although the use of lead was not officially banned in passenger cars until 1996 by an amendment to the Clean Air Act, leaded gasoline began being phased out in 1975 when federal law required all new vehicles to be equipped with catalytic converters. A team of engineers, led by Carl D. Keith, re-tooled Eugene Houdrys catalytic converter for specific automobile use. This re-tooled converter was called a three-way catalytic converter and it was more efficient in screening automobile emissions.
Theft Problems
Because catalytic converters use precious metals (usually platinum, rhodium and palladium) to filter emissions, theft has become a major problem. Catalyst is a period in chemistry for a substance that promotes a chemical reaction without itself life affected. Catalytic converters were developed and adopted for machine account owing to of rising concerns over smog and other harmful automobile emissions.
Development
Eugene Houdry (1892-1962) was a French engineer who designed the elementary catalytic converter.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued several reports criticizing catalytic converters. The panel found that despite regulating important hydrocarbons, catalytic converters cannot curb the emission of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is believed to be one of the largest contributors to global warming. Catalytic converters also release limited amounts of nitrous oxide, a pollutant believed to be up to 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Future Applications
With fighting global warming becoming an increasing priority in national regulations, the future will probably see further development of the catalytic converter as well as other methods of emissions regulation. Research and development of other technology such as hydrogen powered automobiles appears to be many years away. Catalytic converters will probably lead the way in conjunction with other emissions controls to minimize air pollution.
