12 research outputs found
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Power consumption and byproducts in electron beam and electrical discharge processing of volatile organic compounds
Among the new methods being investigated for the post-process reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in atmospheric-pressure air streams are based on non-thermal plasmas. Electron beam, pulsed corona and dielectric-barrier discharge methods are among the more extensively investigated techniques for producing non-thermal plasmas. In order to apply non-thermal plasmas in an industrial scale, it is important to establish the electrical power requirements and byproducts of the process. In this paper the authors present experimental results using a compact electron beam reactor, a pulsed corona and a dielectric-barrier discharge reactor. They have used these reactors to study the removal of a wide variety of VOCs. The effects of background gas composition and gas temperature on the decomposition chemistry have been studied. They present a description of the reactions that control the efficiency of the plasma process. They have found that pulsed corona and other types of electrical discharge reactors are most suitable only for processes requiring O radicals. For VOCs requiring copious amounts of electrons, ions, N atoms or OH radicals, the use of electron beam reactors is generally the best way of minimizing the electrical power consumption. Electron beam processing is remarkably more effective for all of the VOCs tested. For control of VOC emissions from dilute, large volume sources such as paint spray booths, cost analysis shows that the electron beam method is cost-competitive to thermal and catalytic methods that employ heat recovery or hybrid techniques
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Fundamental limits on chemical reduction of NO{sub x} by non-thermal plasmas
The objective of this paper is to establish the fundamental limits on the minimum electrical energy consumption that will be required to implement true chemical reduction of NOx by the plasma alone. The effect of background gas composition particularly the oxygen content on the completion between the reduction and oxidation processes will be discussed. The effect of the electron kinetic energy distribution on the radical production and subsequent chemistry will also be discussed
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Plasma Aftertreatment for Simultaneous Control of NOx and Particulates
Plasma reactors can be operated as a particulate trap or as a NO{sub x} converter. The soluble organic fraction (SOF) of the trapped particulates can be utilized for the oxidation of NO to NO{sub 2}. The NO{sub 2} can then be used to non-thermally oxidize the carbon fraction of the particulates. This paper examines the energy density required for oxidation of the SOF hydrocarbons and the fate of NO{sub 2} during the oxidation of the particulate carbon. The energy density required for complete oxidation of the SOF hydrocarbons is shown to be unacceptably large. The reaction of NO{sub 2} with carbon is shown to lead mainly to backconversion of NO{sub 2} to NO. These results suggest that the use of a catalyst in combination with the plasma will be required to efficiently reduce the NO{sub x} and oxidize the SOF hydrocarbons
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Basic energy efficiency of plasma production in electrical discharge and electron beam reactors
Non-thermal plasma processing is an emerging technology for the abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) in atmospheric pressure gas streams. Either electrical discharge of electron beam methods can produce these plasmas. This paper presents a comparative assessment of various non-thermal plasma reactors. The goal of our project is two-fold: (1) to understand the feasibility and scalability of various non-thermal plasma reactors by focusing on the energy efficiency of the electron and chemical kinetics, and (2) to optimize process parameters and provide performance and economic data. Experimental results using a compact electron beam reactor, pulsed corona reactor and dielectric-barrier discharge will be presented. These reactors have been used to study the removal of NO{sub x} and a wide variety of VOCs. The effects of background gas decomposition and gas temperature on the decomposition chemistry have been studied. The decomposition mechanisms are discussed to illustrate how the chemistry could strongly affect the economics of the process. An analysis of the electron kinetics show that electrical discharge reactors are the most suitable only for processes requiring O radicals. For pollution control applications requiring copious amounts of electrons, ions, N atoms or OH radicals, the sue of electron beam reactors is generally the best way of minimizing the electrical power consumption
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Flue gas dry scrubbing using pulsed electron beams
Electron beam dry scrubbing is a technique for removing in a single step both nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) from the off-gas generated by utilities burning high sulfur coal. The use of pulsed electron beams may provide the most cost-effective solution to the implementation of this technique. This paper presents the results of plasma chemistry calculations to study the effect of dose rate, pulse length and pulse repetition rate on pulsed electron beam processing of NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} in flue gases. The main objective is to determine if the proposed combinations of dose rate, pulse length and pulse repetition rate would have any deleterious effect on the utilization of radicals for pollutant removal. For a dose rate of 2x10{sup 5} megarads per second and a pulse length of 30 nanoseconds, the average dose per pulse is sufficiently low to prevent any deleterious effect on process efficiency because of radical-radical recombination reactions. During each post-pulse period, the radicals are utilized in the oxidation of NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} in a timescale of around 200 microseconds; thus, with pulse frequencies of around 5 kilohertz or less, the radical concentrations remain sufficiently low to prevent any significant competition between radical-pollutant and radical-radical reactions. The main conclusion is that a pulsed electron beam reactor, operating with a dose rate of 2x10{sup 5} megarads per second, pulse length of 30 ns and pulse repetition rate of up to around 5 kHz, will have the same plasma chemistry efficiency as an electron beam reactor operating with a very low dose rate in continuous mode
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Multi-stage selection catalytic reduction of NO{sub x} in lean burn engine exhaust
Recent studies suggest that the conversion of NO to NO{sub 2} is an important intermediate step in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO{sub x} to N{sub 2}. These studies have prompted the development of schemes that use an oxidation catalyst to convert NO to NO{sub 2}, followed by a reduction catalyst to convert NO{sub 2} to N{sub 2}. Multi-stage SCR offers high NO{sub x} reduction efficiency from catalysts that, separately, are not very active for reduction of NO, and alleviates the problem of selectivity between NO reduction and hydrocarbon oxidation. A plasma can also be used to oxidize NO to NO{sub 2}. This paper compares the multi-stage catalytic scheme with the plasma-assisted catalytic scheme for reduction of NO{sub x} in lean-bum engine exhausts. The advantages of plasma oxidation over catalytic oxidation are presented
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Plasma technology for tail pipe reduction of NO{sub x} in diesel exhaust
In the conventional application of plasmas to the treatment of power plant flue gases, the plasma is used to oxidize NO{sub x} to nitric acid; the final product us ammonium nitrate, which is obtained by addition of ammonia. A critical issue in the application of plasmas to cars and trucks is whether the plasma can remove the NO{sub x} by direct chemical reduction to N{sub 2}. We have found that gas-phase reactions in the plasma alone cannot lead to true chemical reduction of NO{sub x}. Any reduction of NO{sub x}to N{sub 2} can only be accomplished through heterogeneous reactions of NO{sub 2} with surfaces or particulates. This paper discusses how the plasma oxidation of NO to NO{sub 2} can be utilized to enhance the heterogeneous catalytic reduction of NO{sub x} to N{sub 2}. Plasma- assisted heterogeneous catalysis can enhance the NO{sub x} reduction under conditions that normally make it difficult for either the plasma or the catalyst to function by itself. The combination of a plasmas with a catalyst opens the opportunity for a new class of catalysts that are potentially more durable, more active, more selective and more sulfur-tolerant compared to conventional lean-NO{sub x} catalysts
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Atomic and molecular physics of plasma-based environmental technologies for abatement of volatile organic compounds
Non-thermal plasma techniques represent a new generation of air emission control technology that potentially could treat large-volume emissions containing dilute concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In order to apply non-thermal plasmas in an industrial scale, it is important to establish the electrical power requirements and byproducts of the process. There is a need for reliable data concerning the primary decomposition mechanisms and subsequent chemical kinetics associated with non-thermal processing of VOCs. There are many basic atomic and molecular physics issues that are essential in evaluating the economic performance of non- thermal plasma reactors. These studies are important in understanding how the input electrical power is dissipated in the plasma and how efficiently it is converted to the production of the plasma species (radicals, ions, or electrons) responsible for the decomposition of the VOCs. This paper will present results from the basic experimental and theoretical studies aimed at identifying the reaction mechanisms responsible for the primary decomposition of various types of VOCs