| Abstract: | Catalytic converters provide an environment for a chemical reaction where the toxic by-products of combustion are converted to less-toxic gases. For spark ignition engines thethree-way converter is the most commonly used.
It is used on engines equipped with an oxygen or lambda sensor that allows it to control the air-fuel mix. This is because the converter works best when the air-fuel ratio is kept close to the stoichiometric point; 14.7 parts oxygen to 1 part gasoline by weight. Within this narrow band, conversions are very high, sometimes approaching 100 per cent. But outside, the conversion rate falls off very rapidly. |
