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A computer model is successfully used to predict emissions from a vehicle, fitted with a catalyst, over a standard driving cycle (the U.S. FTP cycle). Kinetic expressions to describe the catalyst's activity are derived from laboratory measurements. A study showing the effect of changing the precious metal loading of the catalyst on the activity of the catalyst is presented. The impact on model parameters is derived and the model is successfully used to predict the effect of changing precious metal loading on vehicle performance over the FTP cycle. The results indicate the model can be a useful tool in exhaust system design.

The control of emissions from mobile sources continues to play an important part in air quality improvement. Future reductions in vehicle emissions are proposed or legislated in many countries throughout the world. The most stringent of these standards under discussion are those in the Californian LEV-II proposal, a part of which is the SULEV standard which requires a large reduction in hydrocarbon emissions, together with a significant decrease in NOx, over those legislated for ULEV. This requires the engine and aftertreatment system to deliver both a substantial reduction in the emissions of hydrocarbon during engine warm-up and increased NOx conversion during high speed operation, compared to previous ULEV systems. In this paper we outline three different catalyst systems which show the potential to provide reduction in vehicle emissions below the currently legislated ULEV and European Stage IV standards.