Characterisation and modelling of the reactions in a three-way PdRh catalyst in the exhaust gas from an ethanol-fuelled spark-ignition engine

This work investigated and modelled the performance and characteristics of automotive catalytic converter formulations when subjected to a synthetic exhaust gas mixture representative of that emitted by an ethanol-fuelled spark-ignition engine. A synthetic gas reactor and exhaust gas emission analyser were used to assess the catalytic activity, the products distribution and chemical mechanisms exhibited by a commercial catalytic converter formulation when exposed to ethanol containing gas mixtures. A commercially available after-treatment modelling platform named Axisuite was used to simulate the catalyst performance. This software was used to assign the pre-exponential frequency factor and activation energy variables within the rate equations. A set of global kinetic coefficients for the relevant reactions was established and is reported.