Catalytic Converters – Did You Know?

1. Blog1: Globalrefininggroup.com Catalytic Converters – Did You Know? Catalytic converters are devices which are used to improve the quality of air by reducing emission levels from exhausts of automobiles and factories. The invention of this device is nothing less than remarkable! Don’t believe us? Take a look yourself. A French mechanical engineer, Eugene Houldry, invented the catalytic converter back in 1960s. But it was first used in 1973 by General Motors in their car. The implementation was a successful one and then it was widely used by American Automobile market. Since then scientists have been working continuously on its development and refining. Catalytic converters have a sole purpose – to reduce the amount of pollution produced by burning of hydrocarbon based fossil fuel. When it was invented, automakers believed that its commercial production would be costly, and would make cars prohibitively expensive. But to their surprise, it catalytic converters cost around two percent of total car price. In 1985, environmental health agencies suggested to make the use of catalytic converters mandatory in automobiles when they found that it saved at least ten times more in health costs than their price. Amidst all these plus points, catalytic converters have a disadvantage too. oThey decrease the fuel efficiency of a car. oIt reduces the power of an engine because the engine uses more energy for the converter and burning the elements. oIt causes engine to overheat. Catalytic converters are a mix of most precious metals. So when your converter expires, you can go for smelting catalytic converters, and recover some money out of it.