Non-thermal plasma application to the abatement of noxious emissions in automotive exhaust gases

Abstract

Experiments and numerical model calculations on non-thermal plasma treatment of lean combustion exhaust gases were reviewed. It was found that because of the oxygen concentration of several per cent, oxidation of noxious compounds is the prevailing non-thermal plasma-induced process. Therefore nitric oxides cannot be reduced directly, but hybrid processes combining non-thermal plasma pre-treatment with catalytic reduction using either hydrocarbons or ammonia-based reducing agents have to be applied.