Combined removal of SO2, NOx, and fly ash from simulated flue gas using pulsed streamer corona

A pulse-energized electron reactor utilizing pulsed streamer corona has been developed for the combined removal of SO₂, NO _x, and particles from effluent gases. In the pulse-energized electron reactor process, fast-rising narrow high voltage pulses are superimposed on a DC bias voltage and applied to a nonuniform electric field geometry to generate pulsed streamer corona. The pulsed streamer corona produces energetic free electrons, which dissociate gas molecules, forming radicals. These radicals cause chemical reactions that convert SO₂ and NO_x into acid mists and/or solids, which can be removed from the gas stream by conventional means. In pulse-energized electron reactor performance tests on a humid air stream with an initial SO₂ concentration of 1000 p.p.m., more than 90% of the SO₂ was removed with an advantageously small power requirement