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The air pump sends (or pumps) compressed air into the exhaust
manifold and in some cases to the catalytic converter. The oxygen in
the pressurized air helps to burn quite a bit of any unburned
hydrocarbons (fuel) and therby converts the poisonous carbon monoxide
into good old carbon dioxide.
A belt from the engine drives the air pump. It has little vanes
(thin, flat, curved fins) that draw the air into the compression
chamber. Here, the air is compressed and sent off to the exhaust
manifold where it speeds up the emissions burning process. Stainless
steel nozzles are used to shoot the air into the exhaust manifold,
because they will not burn.
Some engines use a pulse air injection system. This system uses
pulses of exhaust gas to operate an air pump that delivers air into
the exhaust system.
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