Research Article Open Access

Cold Start Performance Enhancement of Motorcycle Catalytic Convertor by Latent Heat Storage System

Abstract

Sources of environmental pollution are the motor vehicle consuming traditional fuels and the industries. About 30% of the total heat generated is lost in the exhaust gases by an internal combustion engine. Under normal operating conditions Catalytic converters appear to be the most effective means of reducing air pollution from internal combustion (IC) engines. The conversion efficiency is practically zero during the starting and warming-up period. So it is very important to improve the conversion efficiency under these conditions particularly in large cities, where the number of starting per vehicle per day tends to be high. In the present work we tried to enhance the performance of the catalytic converter by maintaining it hot for maximum conversion efficiency. A Phase Change Material [PCM] based thermal energy storage system integrated with the catalytic converter is designed, fabricated and tested. After overnight stay motorcycle engine is operated during warm up condition for half an hour, some of the thermal energy of the exhaust gases is stored in the PCM during charging period. During engine shut down period (discharging period), PCM underwent partial solidification and the latent heat thus produced is used to maintain the Catalytic converter hot for maximum conversion efficiency. Due to this after half an hour when engine is started called as cold start period, it is observed that performance of the catalytic converter is improved.

K.K. BOKDE, A.V. WAGHMARE

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