Evaluation and development of measurement components for a catalytic converter test system

摘要

The purpose of this research and development project was to evaluate and configure the components of a test system designed for the analysis of full- scale vehicle-aged automobile catalytic converters. The components tested included an exhaust gas analyzer for measuring hydrocarbon, CO, CO(sub 2) and O(sub 2) contents and a chemiluminescence detector (CLD) for measuring NO(sub x) , as well as thermocouples and pressure meters. A software package (TestPoint vers.2.Ob, Capital Equipment) was used to develop a computer-based data sampling and acquisition interface with the components and sensors connected to the test system. Tests of the Sun MGA-1200, a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) analyzer, with CO, CO(sub 2) and various hydrocarbons (propane and octane) revealed sensitivity to large pressure changes (greater than 500 mbar). There was no significant cross-sensitivity between the gases except for the slight response of the hydrocarbon (HC) register to water vapor and CO. However, the low range of HC(5-30 vppm) expected in car exhaust after the converter means any cross-sensitivity could have an effect on the measurement, depending on measurement conditions. Tests of the EcoPhysics CLD 700 NO(sub x) meter also indicated sensitivity to pressure. An executable TestPoint run-time application was created to allow near real-time monitoring of the test system using a desktop computer. Nine channels of analog data are fed to a desktop computer via an A/D board and seven exhaust gas parameters through an RS-232C interface with the MGA-1200 23 refs, 32 figs, 10 tabs. Examination paper