Nitrogen oxides (NOx) contain nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and they have a number of impacts on both the environment and human beings. Regulations intended to limit NOx emissions have been formulated by governments around the world and have become significantly more rigorous over the years. NOx removal by means of thermal catalysis has been well-developed; however, it cannot efficiently function at the ppb-level of NOx concentration. An alternative is represented by photocatalytic NOx removal, which is an emerging and promising technology for utilizing sustainable solar energy to eliminate of NOx, even at low concentrations. Moreover, it can also reduce NOx at low or room temperatures, thus rendering the process more cost-effective. Although photocatalytic NOx removal has received attention for more than a decade, there are still no studies concerning its application at the pilot-scale level or beyond have been conducted. In addition, the available literature on pilot-scale photoreactors is almost entirely concerned with liquid-solid heterogeneous photocatalysis, rather than gas-solid systems. Thus, this study begins with an exploration of the reaction pathway in photocatalytic NOx removal, followed by a discussion of the application of the NOx abatement technique to coal-burning flue gas in a pilot-scale photoreactor. We design and demonstrate a de-NOx process by means of a state-of-the-art packed-bed photoreactor in pilot scale. Finally, we turn to the modification of photocatalysts, with the intention of improving photocatalytic efficiency using titania nanosheet (TiO2 nanosheet) photocatalysts. We hope that this research can contribute to broadening the contemporary scope of photocatalytic NOx removal and thus encourage greater numbers of scientists to participate in this field. Ultimately, these findings promise to provide better air quality and even greater quality of life for future generation.

Photocatalytic removal of NOx pollutants in flue gas: Fundamentals, applications and future

256th National Meeting (2018)

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