Potis Dimopoulos Eggenschwiler (right) heads the project initiated by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) to develop a novel exhaust gas catalytic converter for gasoline cars. Alberto Ortona (left) from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) 3D-printed the ceramic structure.
During cold-start, a car engine emits far more particulate matter and other pollutants than during warm conditions. This is because a cold catalytic converter is much less efficient at low exhaust gas temperatures. So what's the answer? Preheat the cat with microwaves. Empa scientists have developed the first microwave converter heating for passenger car applications. Internal combustion engines are currently under fire - time and again. The first issue was diesel soot, but that could be addressed with particle filters. Then, again with the diesel, harmful nitrogen oxides came into focus, which was (supposedly) tackled with complicated exhaust after-treatment systems.
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