Improvement of NOx removal efficiency assisted by aqueous-phase reaction in corona discharge

The influence of water vapor and water droplets on the removal efficiency of nitrogen oxide is investigated in the pulsed positive corona discharge in atmospheric pressure air-based gas with a small amount of NO. The removal rates of both NO and NO2 are improved by feeding water vapor into the discharge reactor since NO2 is transformed into HNO3 by reaction with OH. Feeding water droplets, particularly alkaline water droplets, gives a better NO and NO2 removal efficiency than feeding water vapor. This might be explained by the rapid dissolution of the generated HNO3 into water droplets. Numerical modelling by means of a rate equation is carried out to investigate the dynamic process of gas phase and aqueous phase, and the aqueous-phase reaction in water droplets. The results suggest that gas-phase HNO3 dissolves in water droplets within shun rime (similar to 0.1 s). Therefore, the efficient transformation of NOx into gas-phase HNO3 is a key process in the improvement of NOx removal efficiency. Suppressing hydrogen ion concentration in water droplets by adding NH3 or feeding alkaline water droplets improves the dissolution rate of NO2.