Performance Analysis of Catalytic Converter using ANSYS

A device that is used to reduce pollutants and toxic gases in the exhaust gas from the combustion engine by chemical reactions is known as a catalytic converter. These converters need a temperature of 426-degree centigrade so that it can convert harmful gases into non-toxic gases, so these are placed as close as possible to the engine to get enough temperature which it requires.

These converters are mostly used in automobiles, but their application has also been increased in mining equipment, generators, etc. where the amount of harmful gas emission is high.

For analysis of the catalytic converter, Ansys has a different software which is FEA (Finite Element Analysis) followed by CFD Analysis by which we can know how efficient the converter is.

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Analysis:

The main steps in FEA and CFD are

1. The detailed study of the materials
2. Creating a 3D model using CREO/ CAD software
3. Importing 3D model into FEA
4. Computational Fluid Dynamics using Ansys
5. Result and visualization

Study of the materials: 

• In this step mainly, the parts of the converter are studied and the type of converter which is used and where it will be used will be known. 
• From this, we can know what kind of materials the converter has to be made and what all parameters will be faced during its working.

Creating a 3D model using CREO :

• CREO is a part of CAD/CAM software. Using CREO we can make a 3D model of the design and the design made has to be imported into the FEA software in Ansys. 
• CREO helps us to create any kind of diagram which we want with any complexations.

Importing 3D model into FEA:

• FEA helps us to find solutions for partial differential equations to boundary value problems and gives us a numerical value to it. 
• FEA integrates all the smaller domains and gives us the best analysis. 
• This imported model is already in 3D by which the conversion of 2D to 3D model is eliminated.

Meshing : 

• After the 3D structure is ready, the structure has to mesh. Meshing divides the larger domain into simpler and smaller parts and it has many advantages, like

1. proper representation of the geometry, 
2. includes dissimilar material properties, 
3. captures local effects and 
4. easy representation.

Computational Fluid Dynamics using Ansys:

• CFD helps us to analyze the complete structure which involves the movement of fluids into it. 
• To set up the CFD analysis we should first set the properties of the fluid, type of flow, and other required parameters which will be involved in the converter. 
• Then deciding the boundary conditions in the analyzer is the next important step which involves the inlet velocity and the outlet velocity as the main parameters and the amount of volume and the pressure are also to be set.

Result and Visualization : 

• CFD simulator gives us the best images which are easy to understand and make conclusions out of it. 
• These results can be varied by varying the boundary conditions and other parameters which will be felt in the converter.

By this simulation, we get the 

• The factor of safety for the converter
• Temperature profile
• Pressure profile
• Volume profile
• Performance of the converter
• The durability of the converter

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Performance Analysis of Catalytic Converter using ANSYS