The Evolution of Catalytic Converters
Like some inventions, catalytic converters have evolved from a lowly “cat” invented by Eugene Houdry for the purpose of cleaning the emissions from smoke stack exhaust in oil refineries in the 1950’s. Along this line, Houdry developed new catalytic converters to control the smoke emitted from heavy equipment such as forklifts that used unleaded gasoline. It started the birth of catalytic converters for cars that used gasoline to keep them moving. The invention of these converters paved the way for the French engineer to be awarded the patent by the United States government to produce them for manufacturers and refineries. Although the inception of converters started 5 years later after World War II, but its popularity was not really that known.
Perhaps the reason why it did not become famous because of the lack of environmental consciousness from the community and even from legislators until such time came when the air pollution became intolerable and resulted to the destruction of the ozone layer. Because of the holes created by the harmful chemicals from smoke to the ozone layer, it has triggered the flooding of some areas in the world as the snow from the North Pole started to melt down. When the United States and European governments enacted a law that obligated those concerned industries, the use of catalytic converters became mandatory. The development of catalytic converters became widespread when the duo of John J. Mooney and Carl D. Keith, both resident engineers of Engelhard Corporation developed a more advanced converters that started the mass production of its kind in the early 70’s. Not long after Dr. William C. Pfefferle created a unique catalytic combustor intended for gas turbines in coal and geothermal refineries to transform nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide into less harmful substances.