China accounts for approx. 50 % of the world”s total production of motorcycles, with more than 25 million being produced annually. The introduction of a stricter China 3 emission standard, which is comparable to the Euro 3, will confront the Chinese manufacturers with higher environmental standards. The Precious Metals and Technology Group Heraeus offers a wide range of catalysts for environmental protection. These modern exhaust gas catalysts help to considerably reduce environmentally damaging emissions.
Road traffic in China is full of small motorcycles with engine sizes of 110 and 125 cc., and for these engines in particular Heraeus has tested several different catalyst coatings. Special attention was paid to engine power in relation to pollutants and service life as well as the precious metal costs.
For motorcycle catalysts, respectively their catalytic coating, it is usual to use the precious metals platinum and rhodium (Pt/Rh). Heraeus is currently working on the possibility of using the less expensive metal palladium (Pd) as the main precious metal component in the catalytic active coating.
The investigative team obtained its comparative data through tests in a laboratory reactor, in which various compositions of engine exhaust fumes were simulated in syngas mixtures. Practically oriented examinations were carried out on the roller type test stand using a 110 cc and a 125 cc motorcycle in each case to correspond to the ECE R40 cycle. A sufficient amount of secondary air needed for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons was injected either at the cylinder head (110 cc) or between the catalysts (125 cc engine).
The results from the roller type test stand were compared with the data from the syngas laboratory reactor. The aim was to replace at least one catalyst located inside the motorcycle silencers with a high palladium content catalyst.
The investigations showed that palladium as an active component in the catalytic coating does actually effectively reduce the emissions from small motorcycles. Through the partial substitution of platinum and rhodium by palladium considerable cost savings can be made.
Heraeus has meanwhile formed a joint venture with the company Jiangsu Golden Changjiang Environmental Protective Motor Muffler Co., Ltd., one of China”s largest manufacturers of motorcycle silencers. The new joint venture company is known as Heraeus Catalysts (Danyang) Co. Ltd. and is located in Danyang, China. Here exhaust fume catalysts are being produced for the Chinese market in a brand new plant. Because of the joint venture it will be possible to quickly and efficiently accomplish all the steps relevant to the quality of a catalytic silencer, such as design and production of the catalysts, incorporation into the silencer and provision of technical service.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login