How Metal Substrate Catalysts Improve Exhaust Treatment in Boilers and Turbines

When dealing with exhaust treatment in boilers, turbines, or chemical plants, the metal substrate catalyst is one of those parts you don’t notice much — until it starts making a real difference. It’s basically a thin metallic carrier, rolled into a honeycomb shape, coated with catalytic material. Sounds simple, but the details matter a lot.

The metal substrate holds up well under vibration and heat changes. That’s one reason it fits so well in heavy industrial systems where shutdowns and restarts happen often. The metal conducts heat faster than ceramics, which keeps the temperature more uniform and reduces cracking or coating damage.

In practice, we’ve seen metal substrate units running steadily for years with only light cleaning. When the exhaust gas has complex components, like in chemical or refinery lines, adjusting the coating layer gives pretty good results — sometimes even better than ceramic-based systems. The open channels also help reduce backpressure, which operators always appreciate.

Maintenance isn’t complicated. If soot starts building up, a quick air or steam purge usually clears it. Regular inspection goes a long way in extending service life. We had one setup in a turbine unit that ran for nearly five years before replacement, still within acceptable conversion efficiency.

The metal substrate catalyst isn’t a new idea anymore, but it’s one of those solutions that just works. It fits easily into existing exhaust designs, keeps emissions low, and stays reliable in tough conditions. For many industrial applications, that’s what really counts.