VIDEO: NASA's catalytic converter could reduce pollution by 30%
Tech Watch is a show about how NASA applies its space-based research to help solve Earth-bound problems. In the segment we've pasted after the jump, we learn about technology originally developed for space lasers that's now being used to make a new kind of catalytic converter. Unlike regular cars, which must warm up before they can clean a car's exhaust gases, NASA's catalytic converter works at low temperatures and could cut a vehicle's pollution by thirty percent.
NASA's industry partner is Airflow Catalyst Systems, Inc, and the converter has met initial EPA requirements, as well as California's strict emission standards. So, NASA space technology could be in your car's tail pipe very soon via the aftermarket. And here we thought the best thing to come from NASA was space ice cream!
[Source: NASA]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wise Golden 10:26PM (2/25/2008)
Wonderful! I'm not so sure that it's new though. I think that I read about an electrically heated cat. converter that uses a tungston filament to heat the CC to a high temperature right away so that the ICE can get into open loop operation very quickly.
This is a big deal and most people would be surprised to learn that their car gets about half the MPG during the first 3 miles waiting on the CC to heat up. Think of the effect of doubling the milage of every car for the first 3 miles. If a car drives an average of 15 miles per cold start and gets 20 MPG, then doubling the milage of the first 3 miles would allow for a new MPG of about 24 MPG, and that's a nice gain.
Another way of looking at it -- the first 1.5 miles of every cold start is free?
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Phil L. 7:53AM (2/26/2008)
I'm not surprised at the mileage drop. A job change resulted in a 5 mile commute for me a few years ago (sigghhhh - in a non-bike-friendly area). I don't drive nearly as much as I used to - but my mileage went down more than I expected. The engine rarely gets into closed-loop operation; a cold-temp cat would be an improvement.
Meanwhile, still waiting and hoping for the EV market to make it to me...
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PJD 2:40PM (2/26/2008)
Got a question...
From the first comment above it appears that the engine runs in closed loop mode while converter warms. This is closed loop idle? Is this so that as little pollutants as possible are sent to the converter before it's up to temp? Is the converter the main loss of fuel efficiency on a cold start or the fact that the block and fluids aren't hot yet? Or are these issues related?
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Bill 2:43PM (2/26/2008)
Some VW TDi owners add a block heater.
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