Pre-Ignition Catalytic Converter - How It Works?

Despite the price of crude oil going down in price in the world market, there is still the issue of the world economic slowdown to be concerned about. Any amount of savings is welcome in these uncertain times, and one item in particular stands out when looking for ways to cut costs - the cost of gasoline. Today, people are clamoring for better gas mileage and asking car manufacturers to improve the fuel economy of vehicles.

The good news is that there are a lot of technologies out there available now that can help fuel savings. There are newly developed bio fuels, home made bio diesel, bio diesel conversions kits, and some which are not so well-known such as Hydro Assist Fuel Cells, and one other promising technology that has been in existence for a long time but is now only getting noticed is Pre-Ignition Catalytic Converter (PICC) technology.

Still in the early stages of development for mass production PICC is thought to get your car up to five times the gas mileage it is rated for.

In truth this is an old technology being used in a new way. Every factory made car has a Catalytic Converter, but is installed post ignition. It is installed in the car’s emission system and is used to break down gas that is left un-burnt in the engine. The catalytic converter breaks the gas molecules into smaller particles that can then be incinerated in the tailpipe before being released.

PICC technology aims to use this system in reverse, breaking down the gas into smaller particles before sending it to the engine. The theory is that because the fuel is broken down before it reaches the engine, a more efficient burn will occur. That is, theoretically, how the PICC will work.

How can fuel savings be achieved, and how much?

PICC is seen by researchers to compliment modern fuel injection technology introduced by car manufacturers. Fuel injectors control the entry of just the right amount of fuel into the combustion engine improving a car’s fuel consumption. Adding the PICC system means less fuel is needed to output generate the same amount of power from the engine.

In one scientific test conducted by researchers, a large 318 V-8 Chrysler engine was run on a dynamometer at 3,000rpms under a 50% load for an hour. This is the same testing equipment and conditions Detroit uses. In the control test, the engine used 18 pounds of fuel, which when converted approximates 22 mpg. On the second run the researchers ran engine with PICC modification under the exact same conditions for another hour. In a very surprising result, the engine was found to have used only 2 pounds of fuel, a 9-fold increase in efficiency totaling a staggering 200 m per gallon.

Even in these early developmental stages, PICC is showing a lot of promise. For the regular consumer it means more savings and funds for other expenses. For the world, it means reduction in greenhouse gases. And for America, it means less dependence on foreign oil.