APPLICATION OF RAPRENOX TO REDUCE NITROGEN OXIDES FROM COAL FIRED COMBUSTORS

COAL CONTRIBUTES 30% OF THE NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES THESE EMISSIONS RESULT IN PHOTOCHEMICAL AIR POLLUTION AND ACID RAIN. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY THE YEAR 2000, NITROGEN OXIDES WILL SURPASS SULFUR DIOXIDE AS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF ACID RAIN. THUS, A NATIONAL NEED EXISTSTO REDUCE NITROGEN OXIDES IN COAL COMBUSTOR EXHAUST GASES. AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORY, A PROCESS REFERRED TO AS RAPRENOX (RAPID REDUCTION OF NITROGEN OXIDE), HAS SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED NITROGEN OXIDES FROM DIESEL EXHAUST. IT IS PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE THE APPLICATION OF THIS PROCESS FOR USE IN REMOVING NITROGEN OXIDE FROM THE EXHAUST GASES OF COAL-FIRED COMBUSTORS. POSSIBLE INJECTION TECHNIQUES, THE EFFECTS OF SULFUR DIOXIDE, AND TEMPERATURE WILL BE ASSESSED IN PHASE I. THESE RESULTS WILL LEAD INTO PHASE II WHERE A PROTOTYPE FOR A COMMERCIAL DEVICE WILL BE DESIGNED AND TESTED.