Automotive exhaust systems with close-coupled catalysts

Increasingly stringent vehicle emissions legislation has lead to the integration of catalytic converters into the automotive exhaust manifold. A uniform catalyst flow distribution is crucial to minimize pollutant emission and pressure loss, and avoid catalyst degradation. This work establishes objective design criteria for these systems. The methodology enables high-resolution velocity measurements in the manifold, using a charged engine flow rig and oscillating hot wire anemometer. Experiments reveal local flow reversal and strong resonance fluctuations. Numerical models predict the flow dynamics beyond the scope of the experiments, and help to understand the gas dynamic resonances. The book explains how steady-state flow simulations can accurately predict transient flow in a fired engine. Design criteria are formulated for catalyst manifolds, predicting the collector efficiency in terms of flow uniformity from an early conceptual stage. The literature review, methodology and findings of this book are relevant for academic and industrial engineers interested specifically in automotive catalyst research and design, or experimental fluid dynamics in general.

Autorentext

Dr. Eng., M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering at K.U.Leuven, Belgium. Since 2006 Tim has been working as postdoctoral research fellow on experimental fluid dynamics and heat transfer at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Fellow of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology.