light-off temperatures and conversion efficiency analysis in catalytic converters: a numerical modeling approach

This study develops a detailed numerical model for catalytic converters, incorporating a refined approach to reaction kinetics and mass transfer effects to improved prediction accuracy. unlike previous models with simplified reaction mechanisms, this study integrates a multi-species reaction framework that better represents real-world catalytic behavior. the model is validated against experimental data, showing differences of 8.72%, 5.00%, and 12.6% for methane, co, and no conversion efficiencies, respectively, which are lower than those in other studies. the findings reveal that increasing volumetric flow rate reduces conversion efficiency and raises light-off temperature. for instance, when flow increases from 0.05 to 1 m³.s⁻¹ at 500 k, co, methane, and no efficiencies drop significantly, while their light-off temperatures rise by over 80 k. conversely, increasing the converter length enhances efficiency and lowers light-off temperature, with over 40% improvement for co and no when length increases from 0.05 to 0.3 m at 550 k. higher oxygen levels boost co and methane efficiency but reduce no efficiency. increasing co concentrations decreases co and methane conversion but enhances no reduction. these findings offer insights for optimizing catalytic converter design. the model serves as a valuable tool for automotive engineers developing efficient and eco-friendly emission control systems.