Examination of the Optimized Conditions for the Conversion of NOX Pollution in DBD Plasma Reactor

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Since NOx family, one of the most important causes of air pollution, is the primary source of acid rains, ozone layer depletion, and breathing disorders, mitigation of these pollutants is now a global concern. In the off-gases of internal combustion engines running with oxygen excess, non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) have an oxidative potential, which results in an effective conversion of NO to NO2. This paper aims at studying the methods of mitigating and eliminating NOx in an atmospheric and non-thermal condition by means of plasma reactors. It examines some key parameters such as temperature, space velocity, voltage, and propane/NOx mole ratio. The results showed that, the space velocity in the 11500-2300 h-1 domain did not show any significant results on the NOx conversion. Our findings also revealed that the optimal conditions for conversion of NO into N2, O2, and NO2 are temperature (180 ◦C), voltage (10 kV), and equal mole ratio of propane in NOx. In this condition, the optimal conversion efficiency of 78% and the standard deviation of 12% were obtained. The optimal temperature, voltage, and the mole ratio of propane in NOx conversion to N2 and O2. (efficiency=53% ) are 180◦C, 5 kV, and 0.3 respectively. Plasma reactor acts  as primery treatment in the direct mitigation of NOx into neutral and non-poisonous molecules of O2 and N2.