Transient modelling of flow distribution in automotive catalytic converters

Abstract The transient catalytic converter performance is governed by complex interactions between exhaust gas flow and the monolithic structure of the catalytic converter. Therefore, during typical operating conditions of interest, one has to take into account the effect of the inlet diffuser on the flow field at the entrance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool for calculating the flow field inside the catalytic converter. Radial velocity profiles, obtained by a commercial CFD code, present very good agreement with respective experimental results published in the literature. However the applicability of CFD for transient simulations is limited by the high CPU demands. The present study proposes an alternative computational method for the prediction of transient flow fields in axi-symmetric converters time-efficiently. The method is based on the use of equivalent flow resistances to simulate the flow paths in the inlet and outlet catalyst sections. The proposed flow resistance modelling (FRM) method is validated against the results of CFD predictions over a wide range of operating conditions. Apart from the apparent CPU advantages, the proposed methodology can be readily coupled with already available transient models for the chemical reactions in the catalyst. A transient model for heat transfer inside the monolith is presented. An example of coupling between FRM and transient heat transfer inside the converter is included. This example illustrates the effect of flow distribution in the thermal response of a catalytic converter, during the critical phase of catalytic converter warm-up.