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%%(text-align:center; background-color:lightgrey; width:80%; left:10%; position:relative;) #An Overview and Comparison of Platinum Used in the Automotive Industry ##Chris Stevens and Simon Vaughan (August 2010) %%
%%(text-align:justify;) ##%%(text-decoration:underline; color:grey;)Introduction%%

PGMs (Platinum Group Metals) have been used in the automotive industry since the need to reduce emissions harmful to both humans and the earth has been publically recognized. Traditionally these PGMs have been used in catalytic converters in standard gasoline and diesel cars. However as technology progresses away from the ICE platinum, in particular, has found uses in Fuel Cells.

Catalytic converters in a gasoline car typically contain three PGMs: platinum; rhodium and palladium. These are usually present in the ratio 35:7:1 (dependant on the car) with around 1.5g of this being platinum [1]. Compare this to the amount of platinum used in the fuel cell of the Hyrban is 2.5g per KW which at 6KW totals 15g.

The problem with catalytic converters is that they degrade over their lifetime. It has been estimated that 9 – 124 nanograms of the platinum are lost from the catalyst for each kilometer that is driven [2]. At first appearance this seems a small figure, however when you examine the number of kilometers that a car travels over its lifetime a significant amount of platinum is lost. In comparison the degradation of the fuel cells platinum is non-existent.

##%%(text-decoration:underline; color:grey;)The Recycling of Platinum:%%

In both the catalytic converter and fuel cell it is possible to recover almost all of the platinum. Around 98% [3] of the platinum can be recovered from a fuel cell and around 97% [4] in the case of the catalytic converter.

Both uses of PGMs as catalysts incur similar losses during recycling of a few percent. However the figure of 97% for catalytic converter recycling is a theoretical maximum. It is very possible for 97% of the platinum in a catalytic converter to be recovered and be recycled but the actual figure of platinum regained is around 50% [4]. This is due to the number of catalytic converters that are making it to a recycling plant. As it is currently proposed that the Hyrban is leased to consumers it is likely that 100% of fuel cells can be returned for recycling.

So it seems that it’s the business model and not the object being recycled that ultimately alters the percentage of platinum regained.

##%%(text-decoration:underline; color:grey;)Why is this important?%%

Primarily there are a lot of environmental impacts of platinum extraction and production. Such impacts include:

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• Release of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere from smelting of ores \
• Ammonia, chlorine and hydrogen chloride all released during production\
• Contamination of groundwater\
• Dumping of sodium sulphate
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  It is estimated that the mining and processing of each gram of platinum requires 23.76 KWh of electricity and 10.45 MJ of natural gas this equates to roughly 6.4kg of carbon per gram [5] or for the Hyrban’s fuel cell about 96kg.

And secondly platinum is a very expensive material around $1500 per troy ounce or about 31g [6]. This indicates that the platinum for the Hyrban fuel cell will cost in the region of $723.

As RiverSimple is a ‘green’ company it is important that it lives up to its green reputation whilst maintaining a profit. It appears that recycling platinum could help with both for example:

%%(position:relative; left:5%; width:90%;) The first car RiverSimple releases will contain platinum that costs $723 and that has emissions of around 96kg of carbon. But with a 98% recycling rate of the platinum [4] the cost of platinum for a refurbished fuel cell will be roughly $14 and carbon emitted only 1.92kg. %%

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The table above shows the roungh percentage of platinum recovered. The two left hand gasoline columns assume the recycling of all catalytic converters which you can see comes close to the estimated 98% projected by RiverSimple. However the reality of the situation, which sees closer to 50% of catalytic converters recycled, is shown on the right. We have assumed the number of Kilometers a car travels in its life time to be 100,000Km when actual Kilometers travelled will likely be 2.5 times this. This means we have underestimated the degradation the catalyst undergoes.

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##%%(text-decoration:underline; color:grey; )Sources%%
[1] A. Fornalczyk and M. Saternus, 2008. Removal of PGMs from the used auto catalytic conveter [online] Metalurgija 48. Available at http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/50889 [Accessed 11 Aug 2010]

[2] S. Artelt, H. Kock, H.P. Konig, K. Levsen, G. Rosner. 1999. Engine dynamometer experiments: platinum emissions from differently aged three-way catalytic converters. Atmospheric Environment 33 (1999) Pages 3559 to 3567

[3] IPA, 2005. Recycling of Platinum Group Metals [online] The Newsletter of the International Platinum Association. Available at < http://www.ipa-news.com/about/news/publications/newsletter/ipa_news_0505.pdf > [Accessed 12 Aug 2010]

[4] Department for Transport. Platinum and hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles [online] Available at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research/cqvcf/platinumandhydrogenforfuelce3838?page=3 [Accessed 12 Aug 2010]

[5] Platinum today, current. Platinum price charges [online] Available at http://www.platinum.matthey.com/pgm-prices/price-charts/ [Accessed 12 Aug 2010]

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