Recently, there has been news about platinum poachers. These are people who saw off catalytic converters from under vehicles. The platinum in catalytic converters is just in small amounts but the recyclers are now willing to pay $38 to over $100 for each catalytic converter due to not only the platinum but the palladium and rhodium in them as well. The platinum itself used to cost $450 per ounce back in the eighties. Nowadays, this precious metal is priced $2,100 or more for each ounce.

What used to be just a car part for controlling pollution has now become one of the hottest items when it comes to stealing. The rate of thieving catalytic converters is becoming alarmingly increasing. This month in Michigan at the Hampton Township, at least seven people have reported stolen catalytic converters from underneath their cars. This trend in stealing doesn’t take in just one place, though. In Charleston, around 17 catalytic converters were stolen in two places: The Love Lexus Dealership located at St. Albans and U-Haul lot located at Jefferson. The latter had reported roughly around 10 catalytic converter thefts. The Lexus Dealership had six parts sawed off from their 2008-2009 Lexus model RX 350 SUV early this February. The price of the sawed off car part had been summed up to $7,200.

This stealing of catalytic converters for their precious metals is happening everywhere, like in California, Georgia, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. Someone from Colorado said, “Apparently it is a nation-wide epidemic. Mine was stolen at the train station near my home. The armed security guard never saw anyone (but it’s a big lot). The police said it’s common. The internet reports I’ve read say it is most common in SUVs because they are easy to get under. A local Toyota dealer said 18 4Runners were hit last week at the American Idol auditions in Dallas and he had four in his shop waiting for parts.” Despite the growing rate of stealing catalytic converters everywhere, the police still haven’t exactly solved this new bizarre crime.

sources: The Bay City Times and Topix

Since the EPA started to regulate the emission coming from the exhaust systems of cars, majority of the car companies have incorporated the use of catalytic converters into its car’s engines. This equipment has helped in greatly reducing the toxic materials in the engine before releasing it out of the system. However, production of the catalytic converters requires the use of metals like platinum, rhodium and palladium, making it quite pricey to produce. But thanks to a discovery by Mazda, cost production of this car part could decrease in the near future.

Through the use of nanotechnology, Mazda has been able to develop catalytic converters by using fewer metals. Instead of using your regular metals like platinum, rhodium and palladium, Mazda made use of nanoparticles to cover the surface area of its catalytic converter. This shift in materials will greatly reduce the use of metals and help in cutting production costs of this automotive part. Aside from reducing cost, the use of nanoparticles could benefit people’s health. According to a study done in the US, the metallic properties of the catalytic converters contribute to the increase of allergies and asthma in the country.

Initially, Mazda was skeptical about using nanoparticles since the heat generated by the exhaust could cause these particles to collect and bundle together in masses on the ceramic bead surface. Once this happens, the surface area of the catalytic converter is reduced and can affect its performance. But Mazda claims to have been able to work through this problem by embedding the nanoparticles in a fixed position on the ceramic surface. How they were able to make it work though is something Mazda is tight-lipped about.

Incidentally, Mazda’s findings coincided with Nissan’s announcement where they claimed to have developed the same type of technology for their catalytic converters. One has to wonder whether Mazda announced its technological advancement just to keep up with their competitors. Nonetheless, if this type of production materializes, it would mean less consumption of metals and healthier living for us.

Sources: Nano Science Works, Physics Today

*catalytic converter: a converter that uses a platinum-iridium catalyst to oxidize pollutants and carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and water; an anti-pollution device on an automotive exhaust sytem

More and more companies having some connections with automobiles are looking toward more environment-friendly vehicles where emissions are dramatically reduced. The people who are in charge of researching at Daimler AG are delving into the matter of continuous improvement of combustion, exhaust gas aftertreatment, and fuel injection. This research’s aims will be done with a high-level simulation technology.

One of the aims is to help in lessening fuel consumption even more. Simultaneously, the reduction of fuel consumption will take effect while meeting the terms of the rigorous emission cutoff point. This limit continues to increase. Simulations have already been undergoing for a couple of years now. The design of the exhaust gas units and the optimization of the said units had been going through said simulations. The correlation between the simulation and the measurement is what made BLUETEC possible. Not just BLUETEC but the modern exhaust gas aftertreatment is also made possible by the connection between the simulation and measurement.

Engine optimization measures entails cutting down oxide levels. The intelligent exhaust gas aftertreatment system which would operate with no added service fluids and which would trim down additional emissions would help develop the concept of more environment-friendly vehicles. The plan would be that, as a standard, filters and catalytic converters would come together. To be taken note of is how each component would interrelate with each other. For instance, the engine will be notified by the exhaust system when the particulate filter is already filled. When this takes place, the engine ought to respond appropriately.

“Daimler AG’s researchers take these complicated interactions into ac-count in their simulations. They are on the one hand developing models for individual components such as the three-way catalytic converter, oxidation, SCR and NOx storage catalytic converters, and the particulate filter. These models are founded on physical and chemical processes.”

The research and developments for engine optimization continues, which will be a great contribution in helping keeping the environment safe and protected.

source: finchannel.com

*definition taken from here.

Stealing catalytic converters must be some sort of an in-thing to do nowadays. It seems that there have been a number of cases involving this type of theft happening over the past few months. Take for example the two cases below.

The first case happened in San Diego when the La Mesa police were able to arrest two people who are allegedly involved in a number of catalytic converter thefts from cars and trucks. The two individuals, male and female, were arrested on Friday in La Mesa after the police officers found a heavy-duty cutting tool and one catalytic converter with them. The two arrested individuals are David Franklin Taylor a 32-year old native of San Diego and Janette Sue Rosales, 21 years old. Charges of attempted grand theft, felony vandalism, conspiracy and violation of parole were charged to Taylor while the charges of attempted grand theft, felony vandalism and conspiracy were charged to Rosales. According to La Mesa police officials, there have been about 20 cases over the past few months involving the stealing of catalytic converters in their area.

Another similar case involves two male individuals from Pikeville. Chris Parsons and David Parsons pleaded guilty to catalytic converter thefts believed by police officials to have been done in Pike and Floyd countries. The two were arrested last October after a Pikeville police officer spotted their car in Pikeville Medical Center’s parking lot. During their check, the police officers were able to find five catalytic converters and tools used to remove the said car part. As a result of their admission to the crime, David Parson will be required to spend a minimum of 10 years before he can be paroled. Chris Parson will have to serve at least 20% his sentence before being paroled.

That will make them think twice before they decide to pull a stunt like that. Well, we hope that they do end up thinking twice.

Sources: 10 News, Wsaz

The Vision GLK Freeside—the new compact SUV from Mercedes Benz to be concept-launched at this month’s Detroit motor show—merges the on-road comfort Mercedes is known for with the best off-road values of the G-series.

Its new-gen diesel engine is a four-cylinder unit with a 2.2-liter displacement and a 125kW output, yet is capable of reduced consumption and emissions.

Augmenting emission reduction is Bluetec technology that utilizes not one but two catalytic converters: an oxidizing catalytic converter and an SCR catalytic converter. Included in this set-up is a maintenance-free particulate filter, as well as a system that injects an innocuous aqueous urea solution called AdBlue into the exhaust gas stream. This solution degrades up to 80 percent of the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust into harmless water and nitrogen.

Performance features include a 4Matic drivetrain that guarantees a 45:55 front-to-rear axle drive torque distribution; as well as ASR, 4ETS, and ESP dynamic handling control systems that balance safety and dynamics under any road condition. These are to control the power from the CDI powerplant with a rear camshaft drive that showcases fourth-generation common-rail direct injection. This feature has a 2,000-bar injection pressure as well as a two-stage turbocharger system.

Activating the ESP’s off-road function requires only a push of a “G” button in the center console; and a feature called Downhill Speed Regulation or DSR automatically keeps a pre-selected speed for extreme descents. Moreover, the Freeside’s Agility Control suspension has “amplitude dependent damping” that lets the suspension respond softly during normal driving and slow off-road jaunts, yet has the dampers provide a harder performance during abrupt evasion maneuvers and hard driving.

Other features include the latest from Mercedes-Benz, such as the intuitively-controlled Comand APS infotainment center, the Thermotronic 3-zone automatic climate control, the Intelligent Light System, and the preventative Pre-Safe safety concept.

Source: www.wheels24.co.za

Catalytic Converters are some of the hottest loot goods for car thieves. The pro-environment auto part is a favorite among sneaky people because the most of the materials that are used are semi-precious – the platinum metals. Some automakers planned to looking for alternative cat con components but these still work the best.

The materials that play major roles for a catalytic converter to function well are the platinum metals: Rhodium, Platinum, and Palladium, which all work as catalysts. Rhodium is tasked to break down the Nitrogen oxide before it comes out into the atmosphere. Once this platinum metal worked, Nitrogen and Oxygen are the end result. These two are friendlier to the environment than the Nitrogen oxide. Palladium and Platinum, on the other hand, play more demanding roles in keeping the emission at a safe level. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are the result once Carbon monoxide and Hydrocarbons are already broken down into simpler forms.

Aside from breaking down harmful elements into simpler ones, the platinum metals found in catalytic converters are also capable of enduring too much heat and pressure. These semi-precious metals can bear as much as 900 degrees Celsius or so temperature produced in the exhaust system of a vehicle.

Until catalytic converter makers found alternatives, which are also efficient in breaking down elements, these special auto parts will still be costly and will still be targets of thieves.

Some details from Nature News.

It is always good to hear that further developments are being made in order to lessen air pollution from vehicles. Researches are continually being made and recently, the Environmental Solutions Worldwide, Inc. has given a statement that its subsidiary, which is the ESW Canada Inc., already signed an Emissions Control and Technologies Provider and Cooperation agreement with the International Truck and Engine Cooperation (ITEC). The ITEC is a company in line with the Navistar International Corporation that has a site in Warrenville, Illinois.

Recently, the ESWC has been operating with the International’s “Green Diesel Technology.” Word has it that the EDWC’s campaign, which is the Clean Cat™ Level I High Performance Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (HP-DOC) as well as the company’s Therma Cat™ Active Level III technology for catalytic converters are still being verified. The one tasked to verify these products are the Environmental Protection Agency or also known as the EPA and the California Air Resources Board or the CARB. Upon approval, this diesel catalytic converter of an International brand will be tagged as the “Green Diesel Technology.”

Although the new technology is said to benefit International’s bus as well as truck applications, it will also be made available for retrofit installations on OEM vehicles. The new catalyst technology will serve as a part of the portfolio for retrofit and service parts. According to David J. Johnson, who is ESW’s President and CEO, “[the] International will be a tremendous addition to our Company’s growing base of OEM customers and is another example of our desire to build strong partnerships in the diesel engine and vehicle manufacturing sector of the industry. This agreement is the next critical step in ESW’s continuing efforts to grow in the on-road emissions controls market and we believe marks a major event in our Company’s history. International, North America’s biggest diesel engine, truck and bus manufacturer, will provide our group with the largest demographic for retrofit, as well as first fit opportunities for our emissions reduction technologies. The agreement with International extends ESWC’s product distribution and provides a single source for specific technologies and services. It truly is a win-win relationship.”

Source: home.businesswire.com

A somewhat European flavor has been added to the 2008 Saturn Astra as it has been equipped with a lot of safety features and standard equipment, coupled with a notable fuel economy and sporty performance. This model comes in three-door and five-door versions, both supported by a European-bred suspension that offers drivers with great handling ability because of it being sharp and responsive.

The powertrain propelling the 2008 Saturn Astra is a 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine. This is quite a notable engine as it is energetic and economical as well. It also delivers an impressive maximum power output of 140 horsepower.

Saturn’s General Manager, Jill Lajdziak, said, “In Europe, the Astra’s combination of style, performance, safety technology and fuel efficiency have made it a hit with owners and auto critics alike. Now, Saturn brings the newly restyled Astra to North America and marries it with our celebrated customer experience.”

The standard engine of the 2008 Saturn Astra makes use of valve timing in order to optimize both economy and power with its impressive 10 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque.

There are a lot of notable and innovative features making up the beauty and performance of the Saturn Astra. These goodies include two continuously variable camshafts, a map-controlled thermostat, and a highly effective oil/water heat exchanger. Aside from that, one can also find a deep-drawn exhaust manifold which fits in a catalytic converter and a two-step intake manifold. This intake manifold makes use of rotary sleeve rather than the conventional flaps to activate the transition between low revolutions per minute (rpm) and high-rpm airflow. This allows the reduction of the flow loss for optimal performance.

The standard gearbox connected to the 1.8-liter Ecotec engine is a five-speed manual transmission which assists the Astra in achieving a great fuel economy. But there’s also an Aisin electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission available. This type of gearbox is well-known for allowing the smooth shifting of gears and having low noise and high durability.

Catalytic converters are constantly being stolen from cars as they are parked. This is because of the pricey metal content of the said auto part. Since the main task of the catalytic converter is to convert the many harmful gases in the exhaust emissions into less harmful ones, cars that have their catalytic converters stolen considerably contribute to air pollution.

According to the police, the ADESA Auto Auction at Highway 33 and Interstate 90-94 were hit over the weekend by thieves that stole a number of catalytic converters from vehicles that are supposed to be part of the auction. This is confirmed by the director of the auction Tom Francois. In his words, “[i]t’s happening all over the place, in Madison too.” Detectives in Madison are doing their best to track the thieves down.

A reporter from the car-fleet industry has already given his opinion regarding the matter. The precious metals found in the catalytic converter’s composition are the primary reason why car fleets are becoming the target for catcon theft. He said that “a thief can slip under a vehicle and, with a battery-operated saw and metal-cutting blade, make two quick cuts and remove the catalytic converter.” On a sadder note, replacing the catcon is expensive, which is why most of the vehicles that have their catalytic converters stolen don’t get to replace them in an instant.

Catalytic Converters are some of the top target auto parts of car thieves. Manufacturers use semi-precious metals, such as copper and platinum, for these pro-environment parts, thus making catalytic converters more valuable to sell. Recently, the Japanese automaker Mazda has announced that it has developed cheaper yet quality catalytic converters that could very well put a stop into catcon thieves.

Among the semi-precious materials of the present catalytic converters, the platinum has a bigger value. In fact, an ounce of this metal can already amount to as much as a thousand dollars. The Mazda Catalytic Converter, however, will use lesser platinum. With that, the catalytic converters, which car thieves are fond of, will no longer be that valuable. Moreover, owners with defective catcons will no longer have to spend much for replacements because the price of these new converters will cost less.

Thieves now might veer away from the Mazda Catalytic Converter because it will not have that much money value in it, but it will surely keep those noxious gases at a safer level.

Mazda owners and other motorists will still have to wait before these catcons are out in market.