Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Is there a realistic way of DIYing a small catalytic converter for combustion purposes?

Junk_Enginerd - 10-9-2022 at 08:44

It's just a little project for fun, so no strict requirements. I've been tinkering with building kerosene lamps, and I thought it might be interesting to fit one with a catalytic converter. It's a difficult art to build one that has the right characteristics regarding temperature and air flow to keep soot and smell to a minimum. But a catalytic converter of the right sort should make short work of the byproducts of oil burning, right?

I assume a car catalytic converter would work, but its size would be about an magnitude of order too big... Plus, they're expensive.

I was thinking maybe something simpler could do the trick too? Maybe some simpler metal oxides deposited onto something? Again, it doesn't need to be nearly as efficient as a proper catalytic converter. I just lack the knowledge to even guess what a reasonable approach would be. I'm hoping for something that wouldn't require the very exotic stuff like rhodium, platinum etc.

Any ideas?

Pumukli - 10-9-2022 at 10:48

A piece of a car catalytic converter ceramic positioned above the flame at the proper height (to be able to heat up properly) feels like something that could work.

unionised - 10-9-2022 at 13:23

Something like this?
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=84456

Junk_Enginerd - 11-9-2022 at 02:25

Quote: Originally posted by unionised  
Something like this?
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=84456


Yes, exactly something like that! Thanks you. Come to think of it, I *do* have a source of platinum available to me, as long as it's a tiny amount needed. One of the components I work with use a ridiculously thin platinum wire as a sensor. It's a very tiny amount, but it's easy to extract and separate from the rest, being a separate wire.

But is something like platinum required? I know various metal oxides are often mentioned in catalytic contexts, I'm think oxides of zinc, silver, copper etc. Are they not potent enough or why are they not an option? Phosphorous pentoxide also comes to mind.

Edit: Do you guys think calcined bone would be a good substrate? I did some experiments with calcining deer antlers, and the burnt pieces that result(50/50 Calcium oxides and phosphorous oxides iirc) are remarkably refractory, stable and structurally sound. I imagine due to their cellular structure which is probably intact, they should provide pretty generous surface area, yeah?


[Edited on 11-9-2022 by Junk_Enginerd]

[Edited on 11-9-2022 by Junk_Enginerd]

Fulmen - 11-9-2022 at 09:04

Do a search for diy refractories from bread.

macckone - 11-9-2022 at 21:25

They make catalytic converters for fireplaces.
They are called catalytic combusters.

https://www.northlineexpress.com/5-66-x-2-round-catalytic-co...

Deathunter88 - 12-9-2022 at 01:09

You can get large quantities of that platinized glass wool wick material as "platinum embers" for fireplaces.

https://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Hearth-Platinum-Embers-Firepl...

This concept has also been attempted before commercially called a "Breathe Easy" Platinum Catalytic Filter, designed to be hung above the flame of a kerosene heater to remove the last traces of soot and odor. It was a failed venture but you can still find a few sometimes on eBay.

http://www.milesstair.com/Breathe_Easy_Platinum_Catalytic_Fi...

Junk_Enginerd - 12-9-2022 at 11:23

Quote: Originally posted by Deathunter88  
You can get large quantities of that platinized glass wool wick material as "platinum embers" for fireplaces.

https://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Hearth-Platinum-Embers-Firepl...

This concept has also been attempted before commercially called a "Breathe Easy" Platinum Catalytic Filter, designed to be hung above the flame of a kerosene heater to remove the last traces of soot and odor. It was a failed venture but you can still find a few sometimes on eBay.

http://www.milesstair.com/Breathe_Easy_Platinum_Catalytic_Fi...


Cool!

I ended up buying a catalytic converter for gasoline engines. It requires a little more oomph to start up than I expected, but I suppose it's to be expected that a unit built for a 100 kW engine isn't gonna be easily powered by a 300 W flame. After some trial and error it chooched happily on propane as well as kerosene smoke/fumes and wood gas.

I'm thinking I'll crack open the catalytic converter and extract a small piece of the actual substrate, put it in a borosilicate test tube, and see if that's enough to function well...