Summary:

Researchers at the Ohio State University have developed a method to reduce nitric oxide (NO) using alkali impregnated activated carbon in the presence of oxygen. Coal fired power plants are faced with increasing emissions regulations and therefore it is necessary to minimize the amount of NO released into the environment. This method of NO reduction makes use of a carbon catalyst to reduce NO which has the inherent advantages of being a ubiquitous, low cost, benign catalyst with a wide range of operating temperatures that does not require an external reducing agent. This method has been shown to be experimentally effective and is a promising new technology to allow coal fired power plants to meet emissions regulations.

Potential Applications:

For use in the reduction of nitric oxide in coal fired power plants.

Advantages:

This method makes use of carbon which is a ubiquitous, low cost, benign catalyst with a wide range of operating temperatures that does not require an external reducing agent.