51–60 of 87 posts
Automobile’s catalytic converter is not the only use case. Palladium is also used in the many chemical processing applications (as catalyst). Imagine those big reactors filled with this precious metal and you’ll appreciate how expensive it can get.
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Sorry, why do you think that? More complete combustion would result in more CO2, H2O, and energy. The by products from incomplete combustion are the ones we want to limit - CO, C, various N and S compounds etc.
The more efficient the combustion, the hotter it is, and the more NOx is formed. Nothing to do with incomplete combustion. Nitrogen doesn't combust.
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Sorry, why do you think that? More complete combustion would result in more CO2, H2O, and energy. The by products from incomplete combustion are the ones we want to limit - CO, C, various N and S compounds etc.
Not always. Nitrogen oxides are due to higher temps which is more efficient. In order to meet emissions standards, you often take a hit in efficiency (or at least drive-ability).
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The more efficient the combustion, the hotter it is, and the more NOx is formed. Nothing to do with incomplete combustion. Nitrogen doesn't combust.
Makes sense - it's not incomplete combustion but rather atmospheric contamination that allows for NOx products, and the amount of those is dependent on heat of combustion. Thanks!
This would explain the recent increase in catalytic converter thefts https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49767195
In Oakland, where I live, thieves have been targeting old generation 2 Priuses most often. I finally got my 2005 updated for the modern world with a CarPlay stereo and backup camera, and now I have to worry about it getting hacked apart by one of these scumbags in the middle of the night, as happened to my neighbor. They just saw the cat off with a sawzall. The cost of fixing the car afterwards is maybe 10 times the…
Why should the thieves care about that?
> It’s killing safe low pollution cars
They are not much better than any other cars. All cars are polluters and killers.
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I cut mine out of my trucks and put a straight pipe in. Sold them myself. Only able to do that in a state that doesn't regulate citizens to poverty.
Problem: thieves steal mandatory cats One solution: Less government meddling, make cats not mandatory Second solution: More government meddling, i.e. actually do something about the thefts It absolutely blows my mind that people out there think #1 is the better solution
When that time comes I'll change my position on the matter.
thanks hn, I know what ETF I'm buying some of tomorrow
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i have a lifted truck but i'm cheap so i just wrapped a length of chain around the cat, secured with shitty padlocks i had laying around. doesn't actually have to be secure, just look like enough of a PITA to remove that the thief moves on.
I cut mine out of my trucks and put a straight pipe in. Sold them myself. Only able to do that in a state that doesn't regulate citizens to poverty.
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Aren't catalytic converters installed to meet federal emission standards? They might not be explicitly mandated, but in practice you can't meet the standards without one. In which case it's just a factually false statement.
California standards are harder to meet than federal.
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i have a lifted truck but i'm cheap so i just wrapped a length of chain around the cat, secured with shitty padlocks i had laying around. doesn't actually have to be secure, just look like enough of a PITA to remove that the thief moves on.
I cut mine out of my trucks and put a straight pipe in. Sold them myself. Only able to do that in a state that doesn't regulate citizens to poverty.