Introduction

Research group "Monolith" at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Prague Institute of Chemical Technology, focuses on the study of automobile exhaust gas converters. Mathematical models of catalytic monoliths and predictive simulation software are being developed on the basis of dynamic measurements. Equipment for the testing of catalyst samples is available in the laboratory. It consists of experimental reactor, on-line gas analysers, and chromatographic columns for the evaluation of effective diffusivities and permeabilities in tested samples. The inlet gas mixture is dynamically prepared from synthetic gases representing the main components of automobile exhaust gas - CO, O2, C3H6, C3H8, H2, NO, NO2, N2, CO2 and H2O. Catalyst configurations and operation modes leading to minimum emissions of harmful components are examined both experimentally and by the simulations. The research partners from automotive industry include, e.g., Daimler AG (car manufacturer) and Ecocat (catalyst developer). Models of three-way catalysts (TWC) for gasoline engines, Diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC) with adsorption of hydrocarbons, and NOx storage & reduction catalysts (NSRC, called also Lean NOx trap, LNT) have been developed and successfully applied. Current projects involve also the analysis of complex, non-linear dynamic regimes observed for certain reaction sub-systems, modelling of Diesel particulate filters (DPF), selective catalytic reduction of NOx by NH3 (SCR), combined exhaust gas aftertreatment systems, and development of novel methods for the modelling of porous catalysts in micro-/nano-scale (including 3D digital reconstruction from electron microscopy and X-ray microtomography images).