Plasma-Assisted Process for Removing NO/NOx from Gas Streams with C2H4 as Additive

NOx removal from gas streams via dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) has been experimentally evaluated. This paper investigates the effect of injecting C2H4 as an additive with respect to the De-NOx chemistry and the effect of gas composition on NO/NOx removal efficiencies. Experimental results indicate that both removal efficiencies of NO and NOx are enhanced with increasing applied voltage, gas temperature, and water vapor. Water vapor in gas streams has a distinct influence on NOx removal by generating OH radicals to convert NO2 to form HNO3. NOx removal decreases with increasing oxygen content although NO removal increases with increasing oxygen content. As high as 100% of NO and 57% of NOx are removed at 140(degree)C for the gas stream containing [NO]:[C2H4]:[H2O(g)]:[O2]:[N2] = 0.05:0.2:3.0:5.0:91.75. Major mechanisms for NO and NOx removals in DBD processing with C2H4 as an additive are described in the text.