Catalytic Converters In Modern Transportation

Hydrocarbons are a chief concern of environmentalists and catalytic converter producers alike. Much of the trouble we go through with catalytic converters is in the pursuit of cleaner emission, chiefly by removing hydrocarbons from the exhaust that comes out of your tail pipe. So, what are hydrocarbons, and why all the fuss?

A hydrocarbon is an organic compound that is made up entirely of hydrogen and carbon. These chains of carbon and hydrogen form in decomposing organic matter where they can combine in limitless chains of combustible material.

As you might expect from the above description, the essential ingredient in all the petroleum products we use in modern life is the hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons have allowed humans to flourish in modern civilization, but they also carry some serious externalities with them. Hydrocarbons themselves are non- polluting when burned, they simply turn into water and carbon dioxide. However, to date, no combustion engine has been invented that is 100 percent efficient, meaning that by burning fossil fuels, unused hydrocarbons are constantly escaping into the atmosphere.

Catalytic converters look to reduce these unwanted hydrocarbons by filtering engine exhaust through a redox reaction to reduce the amount a car emits.

Once released into the atmosphere, hydrocarbons can and will combine with other elements to produce a variety of nasty pollutants and environmental hazards. The incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons produces what are known as altered hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons take a variety of forms, often combining with other elements in the atmosphere to produce a group of toxins known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which are toxic and lead to cancer.

When altered and released, hydrocarbons often combine with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to create nitric and sulfuric acids which will fall back to earth, creating the infamous "acid rain."Catalytic converters also filter nitrogen oxides from the exhaust. Along with hydrocarbon pollutants, nitrogen oxides are the primary contributors to tropospheric ozoneor smog.

As the automobile became more ubiquitous with modern life, cities began to take notice of the dramatic increase in air pollution and smog. In 1975, government regulations required all new cars to be fitted with catalytic converters, an environmental regulation that has dramatically affected the air quality in America’s metropolitan cities.

Catalytic converters have been a huge step in environmental technology, drastically limiting the negative externalities of our daily commutes. But when you are done with your car, the life of your catalytic converter is not over. This contraption is built with metals that can be harmful to the environment if not disposed properly. In addition to which, they are quite valuable.

Global Refining Group has utilized and pioneered technology that allows us to be on the forefront of this recycling process. Our completely enclosed systems extract 100 percent of all valuable precious metals while maximizing your returns. Our business is devoted to customer satisfaction and that begins by making sure you are fully informed about what we do and how we do it. Our list of services is extensive, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

About The Author

Benjamin Harvey is a mechanical engineer specializing in automobiles, and is closely associated with working and researching on catalytic converters. He is of the opinion that globalrefininggroup.com is the best destination to sell catalytic converters.