Quote:
Originally Posted by kcg795
Why can't they just make a catalytic converter that converts the CO2 and CO into Oxygen. You see these commercials that say that the Ionic Breeze can convert smog and ozone into oxygen. Why can't they use, almost, the same technology for the exhaust of cars?
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In order to convert CO2 and CO into oxygen and carbon a significant amount of energy must be added. This is the same amount of energy that is released during a complete combustion of carbon into CO2 or an incomplete combustion to CO.
That means that all energy released during the combustion of carbon must be used to convert the carbondioxide into carbon again. This leaves only the energy released by the combustion of hydrogen into water. Add the efficiency of the system and you could draw the conclusion that basically all energy released must be used for converting the CO2 and CO and this serves no function. Then you can aswell crack off the hydrogen of the hydrocarbons during production and run on pure hydrogen instead.
Converting O3 (ozone) into O2 and NOx into N2 + O2 are natural reactions, with a catalyst you can speed this up.