new catalytic process would let cars eat ozone

By MATTHEW L.
Waldalgl 1995 this is a digital version of an article from The Times Print Archive, before it starts online in 1996.
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On a day of heavy smog, you are in the heart of Los Angeles and decide to clean up the air as much as you can.
So you drive on the highway.
Although it may seem strange, the latest idea in the battle to clear air pollution is to turn the car into a traveling air purifier, devouring any smoke that goes through the road.
This is not a visionary fantasy.
It\'s dead.
Be taken seriously by various experts.
\"This is not an odd idea,\" said John H . \"
Seinfeld, Chair, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.
\"This is something worth studying.
\"The market is also very receptive to the idea that they are trying to resist the drop in daydream.
Shares in engerhard Corporation-
Developer of this idea-
It rose 31% yesterday and $9. 125, to $38.
After the company announced its technology on Tuesday,
As an integral part of this process, the price of platinum has reached 4-and-a-half-
The New York Mercantile Exchange\'s annual high rose by $10.
Delivery in July was $60 an ounce to $464.
This is the highest price since. 7, 1990. [Page D17. ]
What\'s the matter?
Engelhard, Isling, N. J.
In the middle of the company
A car catalytic converter was developed in 1970s and now a catalyst has been developed to reduce pollution in a completely new way.
Advertising companies have been focusing on automotive catalysts for many years,
A car tank that converts carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides into harmless carbon dioxide and water.
Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, if freely discharged, can be cooked in the summer sun
Ozone or smog--
A toxic molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms.
Now engerhard is trying to convince federal regulators and automakers to add a new catalyst, a catalyst for molecules that break ozone down into two oxygen atoms, something we breathe.
The catalyst works on a summer or warm surface;
The idea is to paint the car radiator and air
Air conditioning compressor with Catalyst so that the car can purify the air running under the hood.
\"In Los Angeles, they drive 0. 266 billion miles a day,\" says William Rosenberg, former assistant director of air for the Environmental Protection Agency.
The pollution consulting company is working with Engelhard.
\"You can handle a lot of air.
\"The outside experts see the idea as promising.
\"It provides us with a great opportunity to go beyond zero --
\"Discharge the car,\" said Mary D. Nichols, the E. P. A.
Assistant Administrator of Air and Radiation, referring to electric vehicles that are about to be authorized in California.
\"We can go negative.
Discharge vehicles.
But she says more work is needed to determine costs.
The idea is still in its early stages.
Engelhard says $500 to $1,000 per car is cheaper than other airlines
The cleaning program, especially in California, has limited everything from the factory to paint and deodorant to reduce pollution emissions.
The fundamental difference between the system and other systems is that the car does not purify its own exhaust gas, said engerhard;
Instead, it destroys pollutants in the atmosphere by using only the catalyst and heat sink waste heat.
It also eats carbon monoxide, a toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion, and converts it into carbon dioxide.
Although ozone can be found anywhere, carbon monoxide is concentrated on the road.
So the Engelhard system can make tracking useful to society.
Because ozone is spreading. -
It\'s measured in billions. -
It was hard to find before it was destroyed.
The idea for Engelhard is to rely on existing devices that have moved a lot of air.
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Nichols of E. P. A.
He said it may be possible to apply the catalyst to the radiator of an existing car instead of using it only when the new car is made.
However, cars need to make some changes to do their best.
When the car is driving or the fan is running, the radiator and compressor come into contact with a lot of air. Dr.
Terry borance, engerhard engineer, said the best way to do this is to reprogram the fan of the car and run at the peak of ozone even if the car stops there. Ms.
The air conditioning at home and in the office can also be coated with a layer, Nichols said.
But the federal government may find it easier to force automakers to make changes.
The federal limit on ozone is 120 per billion, but in Los Angeles it could reach 200.
Violations elsewhere are less serious and less frequent.
Said Ann Gerhard.
Commissioned by Science Applications International, about 10% of the area\'s cars are on the road during the Los Angeles ozone rush hour.
If all of this has a catalyst, the ozone peak will drop by 1.
3 copies per billion;
If the parked car is also working, the ozone peak will drop by 4.
5 parts per billion.
Engerhard said that the reduction in pollution is greater than California\'s gains from switching to reformulated gasoline, and is cost-effective compared to other pollution --Control method.
The national standard for carbon monoxide is 9 out of millions, but the concentration in some cities is recorded in about 12 parts.
The process could be interrupted by 1 or 1, according to Engelhard.
5 out of millions.
The key to the system is the catalyst, a material that encourages chemical reactions.
But compared to the catalyst that Engelhard has already provided for the car, this catalyst works at very low temperatures. Dr. advertising
The Poles say the new catalyst is \"very easy to accept by the public\" because it is hardly noticed.
In contrast, some drivers complain about reformulated gasoline, and automakers suspect another clean electric vehicle.
Will win market recognition.
Engelhard said it only discussed the idea with a domestic carmaker, who is not yet ready to say if it supports it.
A Ford spokeswoman said yesterday that the company did not have enough information to comment on the process.
A version of this article appears on page D00004, the national edition of April 6, 1995, with the title: The new catalytic process will allow the car to eat ozone.