CO is a colorless, odorless gas composed of one carbon atom bonded to one oxygen atom. It is emitted into the atmosphere as a result of incomplete combustion of fuels by power generating sources such as gas turbines, stationary diesel engines and stationary gas engines. CO can also be a byproduct of chemical manufacturing, food processing and many other applications. Once in the atmosphere, CO can cause harmful health effects to humans by reducing oxygen delivery to the body’s organs and tissues, and can even cause death at high levels. As a result, many countries and local governments have implemented strict emissions standards that regulate CO, such as the EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards for CO.
To enable our customers to meet these CO emissions standards, Johnson Matthey has developed several advanced catalyst technologies, such as our Oxidation Catalysts (2-way) and our Three-way Catalysts, which convert CO to inert carbon dioxide. These catalyst technologies can also be coupled with system solutions such as our Modulex™ and DualOx™ catalytic converters.