Energy Yield and Removal Efficiency of NO x Curtailment Process With High Voltage Pulse Powered DBD Electrode Configurations

Experimental investigation on the NO _x removal efficiency and energy yield (EY) of eight dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor configurations is done in this work. A high voltage pulsed power supply developed in the laboratory is used to generate nonthermal plasma (NTP) in the reactors with eight types of electrodes varying in shape and dimensions. Simulated NO _x gas with a concentration of 350 ppm is passed at a flow rate of 8 l/min through the reactors. Different pulse voltage amplitude and repetition rate are applied to the reactors for generating NTP in the confined airgap. Gas concentrations at the inlet and outlet, applied voltage, and voltage across the monitoring capacitance were measured at each of these operating points. Corresponding discharge power, specific energy density (SED), NO _x removal efficiency, and EY were calculated. NTP treatment without any catalysts/adsorbents attained NO _x removal efficiency of 95% and above using screw thread electrode, 5 mm rod electrode, pipe electrode and coiled wire electrode configurations. But considering the discharge power, SED, and hence the EY of the process, DBDs with pipe electrode and wire electrode were found to be effective with lower energy consumption. Based on this observation, the selection of appropriate DBD configuration and electrical input parameters can be made according to the intended EY for a specific process.