Catalytic Combustion

[ShiningArcanine]

http://www.engr.unl.edu/~ethanol/unl-sae2.pdf

I was reading the above paper on the conversion of a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado to use E85 by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and I noticed that they coated the piston crowns with platinum to ensure a more complete combustion by essentially turning the combustion chamber into a catalytic converter.

I am curious if any vehicle manufacturers are using catalytic combustion in their engines. A google search on catalytic combustion did not reveal much. Does anyone know if any vehicle manufacturers are doing this, or does the high cost of the precious metals necessary to employ catalytic combustion preclude them from using it?

By the way, platinum is not the only metal that can be used for catalytic combustion. Either palladium or rhodium can be used in its place. I suppose palladium would be the best choice for catalytic combustion, as it costs $385.00 per troy ounce, versus $1676.00 and $7080.00 for platinum and rhodium respectively according to the current market prices:

http://www.kitco.com/market/

 

[Shannow]

Never seen a catalyst coated chamber, but plenty of catlyst fuel additives.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...true#Post259130

There's a product down here "FPC" (Fuel Performance Catalyst) that I've used and gotten very good mileage (no-where near good enough to pay for the additive), and there used to be another (Holt's RedKote) that took a couple tanks to start working, and left a red dust over the chamber and the plug that was supposed to be a surface catalyst.

copper and iron oxides can also display catalytic action, but aren't stable enough for engines/cats.

 

[JHZR2]

they are coming along in such a direction... pre-combustion I suppose.

Keep tuned, cant say much else.

JMH