Effect of pellet size on NOX removal in the packed bed plasma reactor

Plasma-facilitated selective catalytic reduction (PF-SCR) is an effective way for automobile exhaust treatment. Pellets size of the packed bed plasma reactor has important effect on treatment efficiency. This paper aims to investigate the effect of particles size on the treatment efficiency using a pecked bed plasma rector powered by ac high-voltage power at 50 Hz. Electric distribution of the packed bed plasma reactor was also simulated using a three dimensional model. Experimental results showed that diameter of the glass pellets had little influence on energy density; conversion rate of NO, removal rate of NOX and energy utilization efficiency increased with the increase of glass pellet diameter. Simulation of electric field distribution showed that electric field in gap spacing between two interacting glass pellets was enhanced. Enhance effect increased with the increase of glass pellet diameter. This was beneficial for the production of discharge plasma. These results indicate that bigger diameter of glass pellets is a better choice not only for the removal rate, but also on the energy utilization efficiency.