• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.507-514
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• 2023

The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) was investigated in a catalyst (Ag/γ-Al₂O₃) packed dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor. The intermittent generation of plasma in the catalyst bed partially oxidized the hydrocarbon reductant for NO_x removal to several aldehydes. Compared to using the catalyst alone, higher NO_x conversion was observed with the intermittent generation of plasma due to the formation of highly reductive aldehydes. Under the same operating conditions (temperature: 250 ℃; C/N: 8), the NO_x reduction efficiencies were 47.5%, 92%, and 96% for n-heptane, propionaldehyde, and butyraldehyde, respectively, demonstrating the high NO_x reduction capability of aldehydes. To determine the optimal condition for intermittent plasma generation, the high voltage on/off cycle was adjusted from 0.5 to 3 min. The NO_x reduction performance was compared between continuous and intermittent plasma generation on the same energy density basis. The highest NO_x reduction efficiency was achieved at 2-min high voltage on/off intervals. The reason that the intermittent plasma discharge exhibited higher NO_x reduction efficiency even at the same energy density, compared to the continuous plasma generation case, is that the intermediate products, such as aldehydes generated from hydrocarbon, were more efficiently utilized for the reduction of nitrogen oxides.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.20-28
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• 2015

This work investigated the size and shape effect of ${\gamma}$-alumina-supported metal oxides on the hydrocarbon selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides. Several metal oxides including Ag, Cu and Ru were used as the catalysts, and n-heptane as the reducing agent. For the Ag/${\gamma}$-alumina catalyst, the $NO_x$ reduction efficiency in the range of $250{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ increased as the size of Ag decreased (20 nm>50 nm>80 nm). The shape effect of metal oxides on the $NO_x$ reduction was examined with spherical- and wire-shape nanoparticles. Under identical condition, higher catalytic activity for $NO_x$ reduction was observed with Ag and Cu wires than with the spheres, while spherical- and wire-shape Ru exhibited similar $NO_x$ reduction efficiency to each other. Among the metal oxides examined, the best catalytic activity for $NO_x$ reduction was obtained with Ag wire, showing almost complete $NO_x$ removal at a temperature of $300^{\circ}C$. For Cu and Ru catalysts, considerable amount of NO was oxidized to $NO_2$, rather than reduced to $N_2$, leading to lower $NO_x$ reduction efficiency.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 2016

Low-temperature conversion of nitrogen oxides using plasma-assisted hydrocarbon selective catalytic reduction of (HC-SCR) was investigated. Plasma was created in the catalyst-packed bed so that it could directly interact with the catalyst. The effect of the reaction temperature, the shape of catalyst, the concentration of n-heptane as a reducing agent, the oxygen content, the water vapor content and the energy density on $NO_x$ removal was examined. $NO_x$ conversion efficiencies achieved with the plasma-catalytic hybrid process at a temperature of $250^{\circ}C$ and an specific energy input (SIE) of $42J\;L^{-1}$ were 83% and 69% for one-dimensional Ag catalyst ($Ag\;(nanowire)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$) and spherical Ag catalyst ($Ag\;(sphere)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$), respectively, whereas that obtained with the catalyst-alone was considerably lower (about 30%) even with $Ag\;(nanowire)/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ under the same condition. The enhanced catalytic activity towards $NO_x$ conversion in the presence of plasma can be explained by the formation of more reactive $NO_2$ species and partially oxidized hydrocarbon intermediates from the oxidation of NO and n-heptane under plasma discharge. Increasing the SIE tended to improve $NO_x$ conversion efficiency, and so did the increase in the n-heptane concentration; however, a further increase in the n-heptane concentration beyond $C_1/NO_x$ ratio of 5 did not improve the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency any more. The increase in the humidity affected negatively the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency, resulting in lowering the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency at the higher water vapor content, because water molecules competed with $NO_x$ species for the same active site. The $NO_x$ conversion efficiency increased with increasing the oxygen content from 3 to 15%, in particular at low SIE values, because the formation of $NO_2$ and partially oxidized hydrocarbon intermediates was facilitated.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2018

A plasma-catalytic combined process was used as an attempt to improve the conversion efficiency of nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$) over a wide temperature range ($150{\sim}500^{\circ}C$) to cope with the exhaust gas whose temperature varies greatly. Since the catalytic $NO_x$ reduction is effective at high temperatures where the activity of the catalyst itself is high, the $NO_x$ reduction was carried out without plasma generation in the high temperature region. On the other hand, in the low temperature region, the plasma was created in the catalyst bed to make up for the decreased catalytic activity, thereby increasing the $NO_x$ conversion efficiency. Effects of the types of catalysts, the reaction temperature, the concentration of the reducing agent (n-heptane), and the energy density on $NO_x$ conversion efficiency were examined. As a result of comparative analysis of various catalysts, the catalytic $NO_x$ conversion efficiency in the high temperature region was the highest in the case of the $Ag-Zn/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst of more than 90%. In the low temperature region, $NO_x$ was hardly removed by the hydrocarbon selective reduction process, but when the plasma was generated in the catalyst bed, the $NO_x$ conversion sharply increased to about 90%. The $NO_x$ conversion can be maintained high at temperatures of $150{\sim}500^{\circ}C$ by the combination of plasma in accordance with the temperature change of the exhaust gas.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.689-696
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• 2010

The Because of its high thermal efficiency, the direct injection (DI) diesel engine has emerged as a promising potential candidate in the field of transportation. However, the amount of nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$) increases in the local high-temperature regions and that of particulate matter (PM) increases in the diffusion flame region during diesel combustion. In the de-$NO_x$ system the Lean $NO_x$ Trap (LNT) catalyst is used, which absorbs $NO_x$ under lean exhaust gas conditions and releases it in rich conditions. This technology can provide a high $NO_x$-conversion efficiency, but the right amount of reducing agent should be supplied to the catalytic converter at the right time. In this research, the emission characteristics of a diesel engine equipped with a micro-reformer that acts as a reductants-supplying equipment were investigated using an LNT system, and the effects of the exhaust-gas temperature were also studied.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.2255-2261
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• 2000

To eliminate $NO_x$ in diesel emission. selective catalyst reduction (SCR) was used in real diesel engine. Among the SCR methods, metal oxide and perovskite catalysts were introduced in this paper. The removal efficiencies with various major, promoter catalysts on ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ at different reaction temperature were investigated, and $LaCuMnO_x$ catalyst which has high removal efficiency at the temperature of real diesel exhaust gas was selected. $NO_x$ reduction was carried out over these catalysts in the flow-through type reactor using by-pass ($SV=3,300h^{-1}$). Under the given condition to this study, perovskite catalysts showed considerably high removal efficiency and $LaCuMnO_x$ was the best one among these catalysts in the temperature range of $150{\sim}450^{\circ}C$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2017

$NO_X$ reducing technique such as LNT, LNC, and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) have been developed and applied, especially on heavy-duty vehicles. However, it is expected that $NO_X$ reduction techniques will also be applied to diesel passenger vehicles. The urea-SCR system is receiving attention as the most effective $NO_X$ reduction technology without a fuel penalty. Thus, many advanced countries are developing this technology. The urea-SCR system sprays an aqueous urea solution that separates $NO_X$ into $N_2$ and $H_2O$, which are harmless and emitted into the atmosphere. The urea injected in front of the SCR catalyst should be changed to 100％ $NH_3$, which is required for $NO_X$ reduction in the SCR system to maximize the reduction efficiency. The purpose of this study was to determine the basic data for the urea-SCR system to maximize the $NO_X$ reduction efficiency by understanding the $NO_X$ reduction characteristics in a real passenger vehicle to comply with the post EURO-6 emission regulation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.85-90
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• 2010

As the environmental regulation of vehicle emission is strengthened, investigations for $NO_x$ and PM reduction strategies are popularly conducted. Two current available technologies for continuous $NO_x$ reduction onboard diesel vehicles are Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) using aqueous urea and lean $NO_x$ trap (LNT) catalysts. The experiments were conducted to investigate the $NO_x$ reduction performance of SCR system which can control the ratio of $NO/NO_2$, temperature and SV(space velocity), and the model gas was used which is similar to a diesel exhaust gas. The maximum reduction efficiency is indicated when the $NO:NO_2$ ratio is 1:1 and the SV is 30,000 $h^{-1}$ in $300^{\circ}C$. Generally, ammonia slip from SCR reactors are rooted to incomplete conversion of $NH_3$ over the SCR. In this research, slip was occurred in 6cases (except low SV and $NO:NO_2$ ratio is 1:1) after SCR. Among 6 case of slip occurrence, the maximum conversion efficiency is observed when SV is 60,000 $h^{-1}$ in $400^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5610-5614
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• 2012

Performance of catalyst was studied with various operating conditions for selective catalytic reduction of $NO_x$ with $NH_3$. It is confirmed that catalysts containing Mn and Cu have a good efficiency in the usage of oxygen by the $H_2$-TPR analysis. In the case of catalyst #1, $NO_x$ conversion was decrease with the increase of reaction temperature. But in the case of catalyst #2, $NO_x$ conversion was increased and then remained constant with the increase of reaction temperature. This phenomenon is due to the difference of the $NH_3$ oxidation of both catalysts.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 2008

A mathematical modeling of $NO_x$ reduction in $NH_3$-SCR process is conducted. The present deterministic model solves one-dimensional conservation equations of mass and species concentrations for channel flows and the catalytic reaction. NO and NO_2$ reactions by the vanadium catalyst in the presence of $NH_3$ are calculated with the rate expressions of Langmuir-Hinshelwood scheme. The modeling was validated with extensive empirical data regarding $NO_x$ reduction efficiency. Analysis of De-$NO_x$ sensitivity conducted with regard to oxygen and water yielded highly accurate prediction over a wide range of $NO_2/NO_x$ ratios from 0 to 1 in a temperature range of $200^{\circ}C{\sim}550^{\circ}C$. The $NO_x$ reduction largely depends on $NO_2/NO_x$ ratio at temperatures lower than $300^{\circ}C$. NO reduction efficiency is significantly augmented with increasing in $NH_3$/NO ratio at higher temperatures, whereas rather insensitive to the $NH_3$/NO ratio at lower temperatures.