Removal processes of nitric oxide along positive streamers observed by laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy

Removal processes of nitric oxide (NO) in pulsed corona discharges were observed by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) imaging spectroscopy in a reactor filled with N2/NO mixtures. Distributions of NO along the streamers and effective energy costs of NO removal (εrem) obtained from the LIF images were compared with those predicted by a model taking account of the diffusion. For an initial NO concentration [NO]0 of 1000 ppm εrem was 120±31 eV/molecule, while it was increased up to 620±160 eV/molecule for [NO]0 of 30 ppm, due to a higher recombination loss of the reducing species of the nitrogen atoms.