Nitrogen oxides engines

Ozone, known for its beneficial role as a protective screen against ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere, is a major pollutant at low altitudes (from 0 to 2000 m) affecting plants, animals and human beings. Ozone can be formed by a succession of photochemical reactions that preferentially involve hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides emitted by the different combustion systems such as engines and furnaces. 

L. W. Crawford and co-workers, "Nitrogen-Oxide Control in a Coal-Eked MHD System," Proc. of 21st Sjmposium on Engineering Aspects of MHD, suppl. vol., Argorme, HI., June 1983. 

PGM catalyst technology can also be appHed to the control of emissions from stationary internal combustion engines and gas turbines. Catalysts have been designed to treat carbon monoxide, unbumed hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides in the exhaust, which arise as a result of incomplete combustion. To reduce or prevent the formation of NO in the first place, catalytic combustion technology based on platinum or palladium has been developed, which is particularly suitable for appHcation in gas turbines. Environmental legislation enacted in many parts of the world has promoted, and is expected to continue to promote, the use of PGMs in these appHcations. 

Automotive Catalytic Converter Catalysts. California environmental legislation in the early 1960s stimulated the development of automobile engines with reduced emissions by the mid-1960s, led to enactment of the Federal Clean Air Act of 1970, and resulted in a new industry, the design and manufacture of the automotive catalytic converter (50). Between 1974 and 1989, exhaust hydrocarbons were reduced by 87% and nitrogen oxides by 24%. 

In principle, the catalytic converter is a fixed-bed reactor operating at 500—620°C to which is fed 200—3500 Hters per minute of auto engine exhaust containing relatively low concentrations of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides that must be reduced significantly. Because the auto emission catalyst must operate in an environment with profound diffusion or mass-transfer limitations (51), it is apparent that only a small fraction of the catalyst s surface area can be used and that a system with the highest possible surface area is required. 

Nitrogen oxides Boilers, catalyst regenerators, compressor engines, flares... 

Nitrogen oxides are generated by both human and nonhuman action, but the major sources of NO, are high-temperature combustion processes such as those occurring in power plants and automobile engines. Natural sources of NO., include lightning, chemical processes that occur in soil, and the metabolic activities of plants. 

Transportation accounts for about one-fourth of the primary energy consumption in the United States. And unlike other sectors of the economy that can easily switch to cleaner natural gas or electricity, automobiles, trucks, nonroad vehicles, and buses are powered by internal-combustion engines burning petroleum products that produce carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Efforts are under way to accelerate the introduction of electric, fuel-cell, and hybrid (electric and fuel) vehicles to replace sonic of these vehicles in both the retail marketplace and in commercial, government, public transit, and private fleets. These vehicles dramatically reduce harmful pollutants and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 50 percent or more compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. 

Almost all the major car, bus, and truck manufacturers have developed compressed natural gas engines and vehicles. These manufacturers have been able to offer better performance (due to higher octane) and far lower emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. In 1998, Honda introduced the cleanest internal combustion engine vehicle ever commercially produced the natural gas Civic GX with emissions at one-tenth the state of California s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard. Primarily due to the high octane of natural gas, Honda achieved these results without sacrificing performance. 

Only nitrogen and water are produced. However, many factors must be considered such as the coproduction of nitrogen oxides, the economics related to retrofitting of auto engines, etc. The following describes the important chemicals based on ammonia. 

The nitrogen oxides are common pollutants generated by internal combustion engines and power plants. They not only contribute to the respiratory distress caused by smog, but if they reach the stratosphere can also threaten the ozone layer that protects Earth from harmful radiation. 

Catalytic converters convert much of the NO and NO2 from exhaust gases into N2 and O2 before they are released into the atmosphere. These have helped alleviate pollution from nitrogen oxides at only a small additional cost. We could reduce pollution emissions even ftirther, but consumers and manufacturers are reluctant to pay the higher costs required to develop and produce cleaner ftiels and engines. 

Engine runs normally on a lean mixture. During this stage, the nitrogen oxides (after being oxidized to N02) are stored in nitrate form on an adsorbant mass. 

It is believed that SCR by hydrocarbons is an important way for elimination of nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel and lean-burn engines. Gerlach etal. [115] studied by infrared in batch condition the mechanism of the reaction between nitrogen dioxide and propene over acidic mordenites. The aim of their work was to elucidate the relevance of adsorbed N-containing species for the F>cNOx reaction to propose a mechanism. Infrared experiments showed that nitrosonium ions (NO+) are formed upon reaction between NO, NOz and the Brpnsted acid sites of H—MOR and that this species is highly reactive towards propene, forming propenal oxime at 120°C. At temperatures above 170°C, the propenal oxime is dehydrated to acrylonitrile. A mechanism is proposed to explain the acrylonitrile formation. The nitrile can further be hydrolysed to yield... 

Compliance with the EuroIII standards (2000) forced the fitting of Diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC) in the exhaust line [for the after-treatment of unburnt hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO)]. Additionally, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) was adapted to reduce the engine-out emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). 

Krutzch, B., Goerigk, Ch., Kurze, S. et al. (1999) Process and apparatus for reducing nitrogen oxides in engine emissions, US Patent 5,921,076. 

Bogner, W., Kramer, M., Krutzsch, B. et al. (1995) Removal of nitrogen oxides from the exhaust of a lean-tune gasoline engine. Appl. Catal. B Environ., 7, 153. 

Mok, Y.S. and Huh, Y.J. (2005) Simultaneous removal of nitrogen oxides and particulate matters from diesel engine exhaust using dielectric barrier discharge and catalysis hybrid system, Plasma Chem. Plasma Process. 25, 625-39. 

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