More efficient and durable catalytic converters for the two- and
three-wheeler industry in developing countries are required at an
affordable cost to reduce vehicle emissions, to maintain them at a
low level and therefore to participate in a cleaner and healthier
environment. This particularly is true nowadays, because the demand
and prices of Platinum Group Metal (PGM) for catalyst are
continuously increasing due to i) the worldwide progressive
implementation of motorcycles emission legislations similar to Euro
3 Stage requiring catalysts, ii) the need for non-road diesel
vehicles to be equipped now with catalyst systems, and iii) the
constant increase of the worldwide automobile market. A new
generation of metallic substrates with structured foils for
catalytic converters is proven to be capable of improving
conversion behavior, even with smaller catalyst size. Specially
developed foil structures, which transform a laminar exhaust gas
flow into a turbulent one, significantly improve exhaust gas mixing
behavior in the catalyst.
This publication deals with the impact of turbulent substrate
foil structure LS-Design™ on catalyst volume and PGM load
compared to standard foils. Aged catalysts have been tested on
engine test bench and vehicle roller bench, with a leading
"state of the art" four-stroke 150 cc motorcycle
technologies developed for the Asian market. In comparison to the
new proposed European motorcycle emission legislation stages EU 4,
EU 5 and EU 6, an outlook about possible future Indian emission
legislation stage after Bharat Stage III and possible consequences
for the motorcycle technology is given. It is supported by results
from an investigation, whose goal was to reduce further the NOx
emissions of this "state of the art" motorcycle.