Bosch has developed a Rapid Catalyst Heater that uses a gas burner delivering about 25 kW to heat exhaust immediately ahead of three-way catalytic converters, aiming to reduce cold-start criteria emissions from gasoline cars and plug-in hybrids.
The system draws filtered air via a Bosch mass airflow sensor into a combustion module where low-pressure fuel is fed through a Bosch port injector and ignited by a Bosch diesel glow plug. A Bosch oxygen sensor monitors the mixture and targets a stoichiometric 14.7:1 air–fuel ratio before the hot gases enter the catalyst.
Direct electric catalyst heaters have historically added about 1–10 kW, with roughly 5 kW typical, which can be difficult to supply on 12‑volt systems without a hybrid battery. Faster heating to the converter's 750–1,100°F range could cut emissions during the first 20–60 seconds of dynamometer tests under current regulatory focus on criteria pollutants.
This article is based on reporting from MotorTrend.
Read the full article at MotorTrend.
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