Andrey Levashenko

Andrey Levashenko

Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of AutoCatalystMarket. More than 10 years in the recycling business area and in the automotive catalyst recycling sphere. He is fond of general aviation and loves to travel.
What chemical reactions happen in a catalytic converter?

What chemical reactions happen in a catalytic converter? In the world, at the moment there are billions of cars, and humanity is well aware that these automobiles pollute the external space very much. And to avoid serious consequences, mankind has invented catalysts that filter exhaust gases. A vehicle can't run on fuel unless it emits exhaust because the reaction inside is fast and needs to go somewhere. And so a catalyst was invented so that the exhaust would not just fly into clean air. And inside the catalyst, simple reactions occur, which are a catalytic converter reaction to exhausts, and then oxidation reactions occur.  But there are also disadvantages because catalyzes exhaust also affects our planet. CO2 enters the air, which comes out after the processing of exhaust catalysts. And carbon dioxide is just as bad for our environment, but not as bad as just-auto exhaust. The main problem is due to the engine because it is after the engine has processed the fuel that a reac

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How do autocatalysts help the environment?

How do autocatalysts help the environment? In our world, many people are beginning to understand that the amount of various pollution is only growing every day. And one of the most polluted things in our air is the vehicle. Therefore, large companies decided to create a part that will cope with the exhaust of a billion cars around the world.  Because polluting gases emanating from cars exacerbate the situation every day. It is thanks to catalysts that humanity can use pollution controls. And at the moment, almost all cars have catalysts from different companies that are made of different materials. For example, palladium, rhodium, ceramic, and so on. Thanks to all these materials, the catalyst plays the role of a large filter that most effectively performs its function of cleaning our external environment. And a lot of people simply don't know that the number of harmful elements coming out of cars exceeds all norms. And they simply sell their catalysts without thinking about the

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What does catalytic converter do?

What does catalytic converter do? Platinum, rhodium, palladium and even gold can act as a perfect catalysts in the catalytic converter. Without them, the process would have been impossible. The entire filling of the catalytic converter looks like a layer of precious metals deposited on a ceramic honeycomb. And the catalytic converter is not only a unit, but also housing, and lambda sensors, and a heat insulator casing. It is the ceramic block that is the catalytic converter of the reaction, and not the entire item assembly that is "dusting" into the cylinders, so they usually talk about removing the catalytic converter, sometimes replacing it with other parts. The first catalytic converter was installed back in 1975. But there were no big problems from them then, and until recently no one could have thought that the catalytic converter could cause scuffing and oil scrapes. The catalytic converter was located far from the cylinder block, in the exhaust system somewhere under the bottom

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Catalytic converter is stolen. Can I drive?

The skyrocketing price of palladium, fueled by increased market demand for this precious metal, has turned into a wave of thefts of a car catalytic converter. According to the latest statistics, over the past six months, palladium prices have increased by more than 50%. As a result, this metal, which is actively used by automakers in a catalytic converter, designed to reduce harmful engine emissions, for the first time since 2002 has become more expensive than gold. This fact provoked the theft of catalysts. Removing a catalytic converter from the car is not too difficult. It takes several minutes, and video instructions can be found on the Internet.Thieves operate in groups: at night they drive up to the chosen vehicle, saw off the catalytic converter with a piston saw, and then drive on. It is difficult to find robbers, as they hand over the stolen catalysts for scrap at pick-up points that do not require identification. Experts attribute the growth in demand for palladium to new

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Can catalytic converter be cleaned

To neutralize toxic gases emitted from an internal combustion engine, a catalytic converter is installed in a car. Catalyst Is located at the outlet of the exhaust manifold. Although the service life of every catalyst is about 150 thousand km, changing it is rather expensive. It is too expensive if you need to buy a new item. A natural question arises whether it is possible to clean this car part and thus extend its resource. The answer is simple: cleaning is permissible, but there is no guarantee of a positive result. The problem is widespread and deserves more detailed consideration. When should you clean your catalyst? The unit, which looks like a resonator tank, is a container with two connecting pipes. There are small ceramic honeycombs covered with a catalytic layer based on precious metals (hence the high price of a spare part). Exhaust flue gases clog cells with soot and carbon deposits, gradually making catalyst impassable. Cleaning or flushing the catalyst will give a

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How catalytic converter reduce air pollution

Catalysts appeared just in the first half of the 70s and, as you know, US automakers were at the forefront here for a while. Curiously, in addition to directly reducing the toxicity of exhaust, these catalysts have dragged along with the modernization of several areas of development of the automotive industry. This was due to the very principle of their action, which, by the way, has not changed until now. For some time, and on different models, catalysts coexisted with carburetors or mechanical injection. For example, Chrysler, having burned itself with electronic fuel supply back in the 50s, was in no hurry to transfer its engines to it. But limiting norms for the content of various elements in the exhaust were approved by law. It was necessary to somehow link the catalyst and the carburetor. Ecology is the engine of progress. The metal barrel, located between the exhaust manifold and muffler-resonators, has a longitudinal honeycomb inside, where the surface is covered with a

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Can catalytic converter damage engine

Catalyst is part of the exhaust system and is located in the immediate vicinity of a vehicle's exhaust manifold. Catalyst enters into that incandescent exhaust manifold, and after that, significantly slowed down, cooled and cleaned of harmful substances, it appears in a resonator and in a muffler. The principle of operation of a catalyst is based on chemical reactions that neutralize harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide, carbon, and all kinds of hydrocarbon groups. The main element of a catalyst is made in a form of a massive ceramic or metal block with small honeycombs, on walls of which precious metals are applied: an alloy of iridium and platinum, as well as rhodium and palladium. When touching chemically active surfaces, harmful compounds are burned and removed from the exhaust pipe in the form of harmless N2 and CO2. Platinum and palladium act as oxidants in a catalyst and greatly accelerate the combustion of hydrocarbons. The active element is placed in a metal casing and provi

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Сlean catalytic converter without removing

Every car catalyst is a container in which two connecting pipes are built. Usually, it also contains a miniature ceramic honeycomb with a catalytic layer applied. The high price of a catalyst is explained by the fact that this coating is made on the basis of precious metals. Exhaust gases can clog honeycombs with carbon deposits and soot, impairing the permeability of a catalyst. It is important to take care of car catalysts in advance, but many vehicle owners consider if it is possible to wash catalyst without taking off or cutting it off. Cleaning your vehicle's catalytic converter can be beneficial and extend its life in the following situations: If manipulation is carried out for prevention purposes, that is, before any problems appear. If there is no damage in cells, and soot is simply packed there. If the catalyst structure has not been melted due to the use of leaded gasoline. How to identify an urgent catalyst cleaning need? There are some signs which

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Catalyst cost for different car brands

Why are car catalysts worth so much? Catalysts alone do not cost much if one thing is not taken into account. The design of this item costs no more than 150 USD for a best matrix and best metal. But main price is precious spraying, which includes platinum, white gold and many other dredges, metals that are oxidized, evaporated and mixed with exhaust gases during heating, eventually converting them into harmless gases. If not for this spraying, then any driver could afford to buy a new fresh catalyst. Unfortunately, the value of a brand and company that sells the product is still wound up on a production cost of a catalyst. As a result, such spare parts are very expensive, which of course affects the demand for this product. How to choose a catalyst? Should one buy expensive or cheap? You must always choose a catalyst for a car engine. The more powerful the engine, the better the catalyst should stand, for example, if you have Solaris, Focus, Fabia, then catalyst can be supplied

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Keep the catalyst. Don't cut it off!

Nowadays in the vastness of network, you can find many tips where motorists offer their less experienced colleagues to cut off the catalyst on a car. It’s time to figure out why this element of design was so annoying for some drivers, and why in fact it should be left in its place. The first and most important thing why unfortunate catalyst is so annoying for many motorists is its cost. And everything because the catalyst uses expensive platinum. That is why few people want to spend huge amounts on replacing catalyst. As a result, many drivers simply decide to remove the part, and install a flame extinguisher on its place in the muffler. On the one hand, this move is cunning and even somewhat reasonable (a slight increase in power). If only because if nothing is done with problematic element immediately, then it will be worse. On the other hand, it’s better not to do this at all. Firstly, it is necessary to clarify a simple truth that a car without catalyst becomes

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Сlogged catalyst. How to complete a fast check up?

A clogged catalyst is a common malfunction in high mileage vehicles. Over time, a system breaks down that serves to reduce exhaust emissions. Usually the first signs of this condition are observed after 150 or 200 thousand km. But sometimes it can occur earlier if the engine is not properly operated or a manufacturing defect takes place. Today we’ll talk about the symptoms of a clogged catalyst. How to understand that catalyst is clogged and fix the problem? Signs of a clogged catalyst Classic symptoms of a malfunction are a decrease in dynamics of a car and a noticeable cut in engine power. As a result, the level of maximum speed decreases; the car accelerates sluggishly during overtaking or when starting at a traffic light. Additional signs which shows that catalyst is clogged or not:   Motor starts hard on both hot and cold temperature, a strange sound appears. Power unit may fail completely if the assembly is too clogged. Exhaust fumes start to smell

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Catalyst vs. Flame arrester

Catalyst vs. Flame arrester The struggle of automotive engineers for environment has led to appearance of units that are not used for movement, but reduction of air pollution. Catalyst is one of them. A metal can with a ceramic honeycomb system "burns" exhaust gases inside and reduces the harmfulness of car exhaust. According to experts, you need to get rid of a catalyst after 150-200 thousand kilometers. It is for such a run that this node is designed. It’s better to do it as soon as fuel consumption starts to increase and the car starts to accelerate worse. Removing catalyst and installing a flame arrester will cost much less than replacing catalyst itself. But removing of catalyst will increase toxicity of emissions, so this option is not suitable for people concerned about environmental safety of our planet. But catalytic converter is not eternal, sooner or later the catalyst is clogged, its cells are destroyed, and it not only ceases to fulfill its functions, but also pre

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