Evaluation of a Catalytic Converter for a 3.73 kW Natural Gas Engine

An oxidizing catalytic converter was evaluated in the exhaust train of a 3.73 kW (5 hp) natural gas engine. The engine was developed for use in a gas engine-driven heat pump and is designed for operation at lean air/fuel ratios. The converter tested had a metallic substrate with a cell density of 31 cells/cm². Converter tests measured emission performance as a function of the key engine variables: speed, load, spark advance and air/fuel ratio. As expected, CO conversion averaged well above 90 percent. Hydrocarbon conversion varied between 68.6 and 89.8 percent over a range of eight speed and load combinations selected to cover the normal operating range of the engine. Conversion of individual hydrocarbon species was examined also. Although the converter tests were not designed to isolate the key converter variables, a simple mathematical model allowed us to explore the effect of these variables on conversion.