A novel plasma reactor for NOx control using photocatalyst and hydrogen peroxide injection

The authors have developed a new type of plasma reactor combining discharge plasma with a photocatalyst (TiO₂) which improves the performance of NO_x removal. This reactor is designated as a plasma-driven catalyst (PDC) reactor. The authors found that hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a very effective additive in this PDC reactor and the formation of undesirable by-product (such as O ₃, N₂O) was reduced significantly. Comparative test results showed that the combination of discharge plasma with TiO ₂ catalyst is a very effective method in NO_x, removal over a conventional wire-cylinder reactor. NO_x was effectively oxidized to HNO₃ on the TiO₂ catalyst and trapped on the catalyst surface. Specific energy consumption of this de-NO_x process is significantly reduced, in particular, with the injection of H₂O₂