Energy deposition effect on the NOx remediation in oxidative media using atmospheric non thermal plasmas

Groupe de Recherche sur l'Énergétique des Milieux Ionisés, GREMI – Polytech'Orléans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, BP 6744, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France

Corresponding author: Ahmed.khacef@univ-orleans.fr

Received: 3 November 2004
Revised: 11 October 2005
Accepted: 14 October 2005
Published online: 22 February 2006

Abstract

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) have been investigated under a wide range of experimental conditions (pulsed and sinusoidal excitation, input energy, frequency, and residence time) to remediate NOx from atmospheric O₂ rich gas streams. In a given reactor under identical gas composition and equivalent energy density deposition, results show that the main parameter which controls the efficiency of the plasma process is the energy deposition mode. For example, in a pulsed DBD processing at energy density deposition of 30 J/L, 25% of NOx and 40% of C₃H₆ were converted at 35 mJ/pulse whereas, at 195 mJ/pulse these values were 0% and 15%, respectively. Furthermore, significantly different end products were observed when changing the nature of electrical excitation.