Plasma-Assisted Heterogeneous Catalysis for NOx Reduction in Lean-Burn Engine Exhaust

摘要

Recent developments in catalytic control of NOx are revealing the significance of NO2 as an intermediary for achieving higher NOx removal efficiencies. This paper discusses the combination of the plasma with a catalyst to improve the selective reduction of NOx under lean-burn conditions. It is shown that the main effect of the plasma is to enhance the gas-phase oxidation of NO to NO2. The reduction of NOx to N2 is then accomplished by the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with activated hydrocarbons on the catalyst surface. By using a plasma, one can take advantage of a new class of catalysts that are potentially more durable, more active, more selective and more sulfur- tolerant compared to conventional lean-NOx catalysts. The plasma-assisted catalytic reduction process can be implemented with any type of plasma reactor and does not require a specific type of electrical power supply. It can also easily accommodate any type of catalyst support structure.