플라즈마트론을 이용한 디젤 엔진의 매연저감에 관한 연구

A Study on Emission Reductions of Diesel Engine Using Plasmatron Fuel Converter

Improvements in internal combustion engine and aftertreatment technologies are needed to meet future environmental quality goals. Plasmatron fuel converters provide a rapid response, compact means to transform a wide range of hydrocarbon fuels (including gasoline, natural gas and diesel fuel) into hydrogen-rich gas. Hydrogen-rich gas can be used as an additive to provide NOx reductions of more than 80% in diesel engine vehicles by enabling very lean operation or heavy exhaust engine recirculation. For diesel engines, use of compact plasmatron reformers to produce hydrogen-rich gas for the regeneration of NOx absorber/absorbers and particulate traps for diesel engine exhaust after-treatment could provide significant advantages. Recent tests of conversion of diesel fuel to hydrogen-rich gas using a low current plasmatron fuel converter with non-equilibrium plasma features are described.