Technical Paper
Catalyst Design for Meeting Stringent LEV-2 NOx Regulation
2002-03-04
2002-01-0348
Beyond the ULEV regulation, a stringent NOx emission regulation like LEV-2 is enacted not only to control smog, but also to reduce environmental pollution like an acidic rain. LEV-2 is a typical example. Rhodium (Rh) has been known for its superior NOx reduction activity but was restricted to limited usage because of its scarcity and high cost. Therefore, it is essential to maximize the Rh function the three-way catalyst (TWC) so that the usage of Rh can be minimized. FTP results indicate that most NOx is emitted during high exhaust-gas flow rate, such as hard acceleration and high-speed cruising. The emission worsened in many cases during deceleration, especially after a fuel cut operation. Under this circumstance, (1) a quick restoration of the active Rh metallic species from an oxide form and (2) having sufficient Rh accessibility to exhaust gases, is important.