Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Destruction Mechanism of a Three-Way Catalyst Due to a Failure of Fuel Supply in a Spark Ignition Engine

  • Published:
Emission Control Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Misfires and fuel shutdown have similar features and affect similarly on overheating the three-way catalyst (TWC). In practice, this similarity is an obstacle to determining whether the misfires or fuel shutdown cause failure of the TWC. Meanwhile, it is of great importance to distinguish fuel shutdown as an original reason from others because its consequences may be tremendous for both the environment and safety. The destruction mechanism of the TWC resulting from the shutdown of fuel supply is described in detail. The mechanism is confirmed by the experimental data obtained on a four-cylinder in-line engine tested on motor bench. The burning process is transferred from the cylinders into the TWC during the fuel shutdown event. The entire process is divided into several stages. Initially, the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders changes so that the air/fuel ratio increases, reaching the lean misfire limit and going beyond this limit, which makes the air-fuel mixture non-combustible. The remains of fuel and oxygen unreacted in the cylinders enter the TWC where combustion occurs in a combination of the catalytic mode, flame combustion in the porous medium and free flame. The destruction mechanism of the TWC due to the fuel shutdown is a sequence of rapid changes in combustion modes in the engine and in the TWC. It may seem strange, since the expected consequence should be a decrease in temperature, as the amount of fuel supplied is reduced. Contrary to the expectations, the fuel shutdown leads to an abrupt heating of the TWC and its complete destruction in an extreme case.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

Not applicable

References

  1. Farrauto, R.J., Deeba, M., Alerasool, S.: Gasoline automobile catalysis and its historical journey to cleaner air. Nat. Catal. 2(7), 603–613 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bartholomew, C.H.: Mechanisms of catalyst deactivation. Appl. Catal. A Gen. 212(1-2), 17–60 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kaspar, J., Fornasiero, P., Hickey, N.: Automotive catalytic converters: current status and some perspectives. Catal. Today. 77(4), 419–449 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Favre, C., Zidat, S.: Emission systems optimization to meet future European legislation. SAE Technical Paper Series 2004-01-0138.

  5. Soliman, A., Rizzonni, G., Krishnaswami, V.: The effect of engine misfire on exhaust emission level in spark ignition engines. SAE Technical Paper Series 950480.

  6. Lee, S., Bae, C., Lee, Y., Han, T.: Effects of engine operating conditions on catalytic converter temperature in an SI engine. SAE Technical Paper 2002-01-1677.

  7. Devasenapatia, S.B., Sugumaran, V., Ramachandran, K.I.: Misfire identification in a four-stroke four-cylinder petrol engine using decision tree. Expert Syst. Appl. 15, 2150–2160 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Isermann, R.: Combustion engine diagnosis. Springer-Verlag, Berlin (2017)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Maeda, K., Sera, Y., Yasumori, A.: Effect of molybdenum and titanium oxides on mechanical and thermal properties of cordierite–enstatite glass-ceramics. J. Non-Cryst. Solids. 434, 13–22 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Richet, P., Bottinga, Y.: Anorthite, andesine, wollastonite, diopside, cordierite and pyrope: thermodynamics of melting, glass transitions, and properties of the amorphous phases. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 67(3), 415–432 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Gonzalez-Velasco, J.R., Gutierrez-Ortiz, M.A., Ferret, R., Aranzabal, A., Botas, J.A.: Synthesis of cordierite monolithic honeycomb by solid state reaction of precursor oxides. J. Mater. Sci. 34(9), 1999–2002 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Galassi, M.C., Martini, G.: Durability demonstration procedures of emission control devices for Euro 6 vehicles, Final report. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport. (2014).

  13. Morris, A.S., Langari, R.: Temperature measurement. In: Morris, A.S., Langari, R. (eds.) Measurement and instrumentation: Theory and application, 2nd edn, pp. 407–461. Academic Press (2016)

  14. ASTM E230/E230M-17 Standard specification for temperature-electromotive force (emf) tables for standardized thermocouples.

  15. Nose, H., Inoue, T., Katagiri, S., Sakai A., Kawasaki T., Okamura M.: Fuel enrichment control system by catalyst temperature estimation to enable frequent stoichiometric operation at high engine speed/load condition. SAE Technical paper 2013-01-0341.

  16. Fathali, A., Laurell, M., Andersson, B.: Fuel-cut based rapid aging of commercial three way catalysts – influence of fuel-cut frequency, duration and temperature on catalyst activity. SAE Technical paper 2013-24-0156.

  17. Brinkmeier, C., Schön, C., Vent, G., Enderle, C., Catalyst temperature rise during deceleration with fuel cut, SAE Technical paper 2006-01-0411.

  18. Porsin, A.V., Alikin, E.A., Bukhtiyarov, V.I.: A low-temperature method for measuring oxygen storage capacity of ceria-containing oxides. Catal. Sci. Technol. 6(15), 5891–5898 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ricoult, D.: Materials engineering and new designs for robust cordierite diesel particulate filters. SAE Technical paper 2005-26-024.

  20. Edwards, K.L., Norris, M.J.: Materials and constructions used in devices to prevent the spread of flames in pipelines and vessels. Mater. Des. 20(5), 245–252 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wood, S., Harris, A.T.: Porous burners for lean-burn applications. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci. 34(5), 667–684 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rowley, J.R., Rowley, R.L., Wilding, W.V.: Estimation of the lower flammability limit of organic compounds as a function of temperature. J. Hazard. Mater. 186(1), 551–557 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Liaw, H.-J., Chen, K.-Y.: A model for predicting temperature effect on flammability limits. Fuel. 178, 179–187 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mendiburu, A.Z., de Carvalho Jr., J.A., Coronado, C.R., Roberts, J.J.: Flammability limits temperature dependence of pure compounds in air at atmospheric pressure. Energy. 118, 414–424 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Contarin, F., Saveliev, A.V., Fridman, A.A., Kennedy, L.A.: A reciprocal flow filtration combustor with embedded heat exchangers: numerical study. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 46(6), 949–961 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kennedy, L.A., Bingue, J.P., Saveliev, A.V., Fridman, A.A., Foutko, S.I.: Chemical structures of methane-air filtration combustion waves for fuel-lean and fuel-rich conditions. Proc. Combust. Inst. 28(1), 1431–1438 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Grossel, S.S.: Deflagration and detonation flame arresters. American Institute of Chemical Engineers, USA (2002)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  28. Zeldovich, Y.B.: Theory of limit of quiet flame propagation. Zh. Prikl. Mekh. Tekh. Fiz. 11(1), 159–169 (1941)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Babkin, V.S., Korzhavin, A.A., Bunaev, V.A.: Propagation of premixed gaseous explosion flames in porous media. Combust. Flame. 87(2), 182–190 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Quader, A.A.: Lean combustion and the misfire limit in spark ignition engines. SAE Trans. 83, 3274–3296 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Ayala, F.A., Gerty, M.D., Heywood, J.B.: Effects of combustion phasing, relative air-fuel ratio, compression ratio, and load on SI engine efficiency. SAE Technical Paper 2006-01-0229.

  32. Bhasker, J.P., Porpatham, E.: Effects of compression ratio and hydrogen addition on lean combustion characteristics and emission formation in a compressed natural gas fuelled spark ignition engine. Fuel. 208, 260–270 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ran, Z., Hariharan, D., Lawler, B., Mamalis, S.: Experimental study of lean spark ignition combustion using gasoline, ethanol, natural gas, and syngas. Fuel. 235, 530–537 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Quader, A.A.: What limits lean operation in spark ignition engines-flame initiation or propagation? SAE Technical Paper Series 760760.

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. A special thanks to Vladimir Pashchenko, Viktor Baldin and Taras Pekarskij for their help in conducting the experiments and discussing the results.

Code availability (software application or custom code)

Not applicable

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. FSUE NAMI State Research Center of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation, 125438

    Andrey V. Porsin, Yuri A. Moskalets, Givi G. Nadareishvili & Alexey S. Terenchenko

  2. Ecoalliance LLC, Novouralsk, Russian Federation, 624131

    Konstantin V. Bubnov, Evgeny A. Alikin & Andrey V. Ushenin

Authors
  1. Andrey V. Porsin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Konstantin V. Bubnov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuri A. Moskalets
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Givi G. Nadareishvili
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Alexey S. Terenchenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Evgeny A. Alikin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Andrey V. Ushenin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrey V. Porsin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all the co-authors, the corresponding author declares that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval (include appropriate approvals or waivers)

On behalf of all the co-authors, the corresponding author states there is no any violations or inconsistencies to the ethics standards.

Consent to participate (include appropriate statements)

On behalf of all the co-authors, the corresponding author confirms the consent to participate

Consent for publication (include appropriate statements)

On behalf of all the co-authors, the corresponding author confirms the consent for the publication

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Porsin, A.V., Bubnov, K.V., Moskalets, Y.A. et al. A Destruction Mechanism of a Three-Way Catalyst Due to a Failure of Fuel Supply in a Spark Ignition Engine. Emiss. Control Sci. Technol. 7, 163–173 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40825-021-00187-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40825-021-00187-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation