NSF Award
9360018
9360018 Zamansky This is a Phase I award under the Small Business Innovation Research Solicitation. It is a novel approach to the control of nitrogen oxides from combustion flue gases based upon the oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide, and removal of the latter in slightly modified calcium-based sulfur-dioxide scrubbers. Nitric oxide is converted to nitrogen dioxide by reaction with sulfur dioxide and oxygen in the gas phase; the reactants are already present in the off-gases from sulfur-containing coal. This effort provides a laboratory-scale feasibility study of the process at reaction times and temperatures suitable to application in the flues of boilers and furnaces. Removal of the oxides of sulfur and nitrogen from combustion flues is essential to improvement of air quality and reduction of acid rain. This effort offers the prospect of controlling both sets of oxides at once, with a technology that might be a suitable retrofit to existing sulfur-control systems.
