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 photocatalyst (TiO2) which improves the performance of NOx removal. This reactor is designated as a plasma-driven catalyst (PDC) reactor, We 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 TiO2 catalyst is a very effective method in NOx removal over a conventional wire-cylinder reactor, NOx was effectively oxidized to HNO3 on the TiO2 catalyst and trapped on the catalyst surface. Specific energy consumption of this de-NOx process is significantly reduced, in particular, with the injection of H2O2.