The catalytic converter houses inside the exhaust system and reduces the diesel consumption on semi-trucks. It makes semi-trucks environmentally- friendly, fast, less cranky, and improves engine lifespan.
Where is the Catalytic Converter Located on a Semi Truck? A catalytic converter is located on a semi-truck exhaust pipe; it is underneath the horizontal exhaust and on both sides of the vertical exhaust. It is underneath the Kenworth chassis, near the Volvo engine, on the Peterbilt frame, and between the engine and muffler of Freightliner.
Oxidation catalytic converters increase the semi-trucks performance by making it immensely responsive and stable at top speeds. Furthermore, they have a muffler shape and can regulate the pollutants of an 18-wheeler.
What is the location of a catalytic converter on a semi-truck?
On the semi-trucks, the catalytic converter mounts on the emission pipe of the exhaust. Also, you can find it underneath the vehicle between the engine and muffler.
Sometimes, you can assess it near the emission pipe according to the overall design of the semi-truck. However, their mounting location varies according to the overall layout of the exhaust system in an 18-wheeler.
In the 18-wheelers, the manufacturing companies add two designs of an exhaust system. They have variable styles according to their overall layout.
Generally, you can find them on the pipe of the exhaust system. Furthermore, you can find them underneath the frame of a semi-truck due to the horizontal exhaust design.
With the horizontal layout, they are under the frame and closer to the end of the 18-wheeler. Also, they hide the entire exhaust system with their frame.
Due to horizontal designs, they are long and can cover the overall emission unit. The second design is their vertical arrangement on the exhaust.
In this setting, they adjust on the left and right sides of the tractor-trailer. With this configuration, you can locate them on both sides of the exhaust.
Due to their vertical adjustment, they adjust in one straight line and align with the emission unit. Different 18-wheelers have variable mounting positions for these emission control components.
However, they connect to the emission regulating unit on all 18-wheelers. You can find the catalytic converters on the frame in a Peterbilt tractor-trailer.
Also, one muffler mounts vertically, and you can locate the stack on one side of the cabin. Moreover, Kenworth semi-trucks have versatile catalytic converters and mufflers due to their advanced designs and heavyweights.
On these 18-wheelers, you can find them underneath the chassis. However, you can assess the two mufflers on the right and left sides of the cabin frame.
The Volvo semi-trucks comprise them near the engine. However, it is a unique configuration to achieve the optimal working temperature.
Due to their versatile composition, they have dual ceramic layers. The other few parts are metallic and comprise a layer of palladium or platinum.
In addition, you can find them between the muffler and the engine of the Freightliner semi-trucks. The 18-wheelers comprise a muffler shape with round or cylindrical bodies and convert toxic gases into harmless vapors.
Why are semi-truck catalytic converters different from car catalytic converters?
The semi-trucks have oxidation catalysts on several variants, which comprise Diesel engines. Due to diesel-based properties, these are different from the standard catalytic converters of cars.
Also, these are more efficient because the 18-wheeler produces massive hydrocarbons due to their large dimensions. In addition, the oxidation catalysts can correlate with the diesel particulate filter, which improves its efficiency.
However, a few lightweight variants of the 18-wheelers comprise 2-way and 3-way catalysts. They have similarities in regulating the emissions of cars.
But, they are more effective in these tractor-trailers and can work without additional additives. Moreover, they are hard to steal on the tractor-trailer due to their location and size.
A few mounts underneath the frame are not accessible by the thieves. However, the diesel particulate filter catalytic converters are complicated, and the thieves cannot remove them from the emission pipes.
What are the types of catalytic converters in semi-trucks?
The semi-trucks have three categories of catalytic converters, which can convert toxic and harmful pollutants into harmless vapors. However, I have explained the types with their benefits.
Oxidation catalytic converter with DPF
It is one of the most efficient and popular in 18-wheelers due to its specification with the diesel engine. According to its structure, it comprises thick layers of palladium.
Also, you can assess the boundaries of platinum in these efficient components. Due to its exceptional functionality, it can transfer toxic carbon monoxide into water.
Moreover, it can change harmful hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide gas. Unlike other options, it benefits the tractor-trailer by reducing the toxicity of emission gases.
It has a conjugation with the diesel particulate filter. The diesel particulate filter is the storage and capturing unit of the ashes.
The ashes assemble in the exhaust system of a semi-truck. Moreover, the ashes develop due to high heat in the emission system and the burning of fuel and other metallic pieces.
As a result, the diesel particulate filter can store the contaminants and decrease the level of a particular material. For example, in tractor-trailers, it reduces the emission of solid material with gases.
Furthermore, the oxidation catalytic converters are specific for tractor-trailers, which comprise diesel engines.
2-way catalytic converter
A 2-way catalytic converter is a catalyst that contains rhodium and a layer of platinum. Moreover, it is modern and advanced due to its structure.
It can reduce environmental pollution due to its improved efficiency. Furthermore, it can reduce the nitrogen oxide emission from the semi-truck exhaust system.
Moreover, it controls, reduces, and regulates the evaporation of hydrocarbons in the emission system of these tractor-trailers. However, these are popular for gasoline engine variants.
Several tractor-trailers with diesel engines comprise these dual-phase catalytic converters. As a result, they have higher effectiveness in these 18-wheelers and reduce pollution.
Also, they do not require additional additives for standard efficiency.
3-way catalytic converter
The semi-trucks produce an abundance of toxic gases due to their large engines and heavyweights. In such conditions, the truck makers add 3-way catalytic converters in their emission units.
These are advanced options that comprise rhodium and platinum. Moreover, they have a thick layer and coverage of palladium.
Due to these components, the evaporation of nitrogen oxide reduces in the environment. Also, they can decrease the emission of carbon monoxide and change it into less harmful vapors.
These are efficient for reducing the removal of hydrocarbons from the emission tailpipes. These are common in the 18-wheelers, which have natural gas engines.
For example, Freightliner variants have natural gas-based engines. Also, their engines can run on diesel according to the type of model and design.
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