Method for removing NOx and other pollutants from gas streams using a plasma assisted catalyst
AssigneeNoxtech, Inc.
InventorsVishwesh Palekar, Ralph J. Slone
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for removing pollutants from gas streams using a reactor assembly. The reactor assembly includes an inlet, an outlet, at least two electrodes, a catalyst bed, and plasma generated from the electrodes. Electrical energy is applied, and catalytic surfaces enhanced by the plasma results in the reduction of NOx to N2 and oxidation of particulates and hydrocarbons to CO2. Furthermore, the present invention removes NOx, particulate, and hydrocarbons from O2 rich pollutant streams without the need for supplemental additives.
Claims21
A continual flow process method for removing NOx from an exhaust gas stream produced by an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:
- generating the exhaust gas stream with the internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas stream contain NOx and O2, wherein the internal combustion engine produces power of a first level, wherein the NOx contains NO2 and NO;
- continually flowing the exhaust gas stream around one or more catalytic surfaces positioned between first and second electrodes, wherein the catalytic surfaces are formed of a material having a dielectric constant;
- and
- continually applying a varying electrical potential between the first and second electrodes, wherein the electrical potential and the one or more catalytic surfaces, in the presence of hydrocarbons, result in the generation of a non-thermal plasma and displacement current that consumes eletrical power, wherein NO2 is formed from NO in the exhaust gas stream and the NO2 is selectively reduced to N2, wherein dielectric constant of the material results in displacement current at a level wherein application of the continually applied varying electrical potential consumes power at a second level, wherein the second level is less than 10% of the first level.
A continual flow process method for removing NOx from a gas stream also containing O2, wherein the NOx contains NO2 and NO, comprising the steps of:
- continually flowing the gas stream around one or more curved catalytic surfaces positioned between first and second electrodes;
- and
- continually applying a varying electrical potential between the first and second electrodes;
- wherein the electrical potential and the one or more curved catalytic surfaces result in the generation of a non-thermal plasma, wherein, in the presence of hydrocarbons, NO in the gas stream is converted to NO2, wherein the NO2 is selectively reduced to N2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.