cats and thermal reactors

[juanbenae]

i understand the way a cat works but what are the working principals regarding thermal reactors?

thanks

[Kurt B]

From what I understand, the primary function of the thermal reactor is to produce so much heat in/around the heat sensitive 911 engine as to destroy it, thereby reducing its harmful emissions to zero.

[john70t]

I'm not sure, but when the emission controls were started in the mid-late 70's there were a lot of problems.

I don't know if this corresponded with the rich-middle-class-yuppie-on-coke phenomenon but most of the automotive designs suffered back then. I had a 1979 Accord whose engine was covered with vacuum hoses.... to the point I couldn't see the engine anymore.

I think the thermactors are like a 2-way cat : it has a big air pump and a catalytic HC-burning devise. Heck the RX7 was so dirty it needed several of 'em.

[juanbenae]

so it (reactors) act like a cat but the exhaust is recirculated by fan through the reactor again and again?

i know a cat has an element that the exhaust gasses heat and then subsequent exhaust products are cooked out by the heat of the element.

[yelcab1]

Thermal reactor: a chamber that passively restricts the flow of hot exhaust gas, thereby raising the temperature in the chamber significantly. In addition, fresh air is pumped into the exhaust ports via air pumps. This fresh air reacts at high termperature with unburnt HC in the thermal reactor thereby reducing the HC pollution, but not adding to any engine power.

[IROC]

Oh, I thought your pet cat decided to take a nap under the car and was cooked by the thermal reactors. I was expecting some good pictures.

I think Kurt's dscription is best.

Mike