Electric reagent launcher for reduction of nitrogen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427702-B2
Application number	US-201414534845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 14, 2012
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A selective catalytic reduction system (SCR) or selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) system include a reagent charging apparatus configured to apply one or more electrical charges to a NOx reducing reagent. The electrical charges enhance mixing of the reagent with fluids carrying NOx and/or enhance reactivity of the reagent with NOx.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A selective nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction system for a combustion reaction device, the system comprising:
a reagent charging apparatus configured to apply electrical charges to a selective nitrogen oxide reduction reagent, the reagent further comprising a SCR/SNCR reagent; and
a reagent launcher configured to launch the charged reagent into a flue gas produced by a combustion reaction; the reagent launcher further comprising:
a body defining a chamber, a launch orifice configured to eject reagent, and a reagent delivery passage configured to deliver the reagent or fluid carrying the reagent from a reagent source to the chamber; and
at least one electrode, distinct from the body defining the chamber, disposed at least partially within the chamber, within the launch orifice or within the delivery passage;

wherein the at least one electrode is operatively coupled to the reagent charging apparatus.

2. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent launcher and reagent charging apparatus form a portion of a burner or boiler system and cooperate to cause a reduction in an amount of NOx output by the burner or boiler system.

3. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising a burner configured to provide a fuel or a fuel and oxidizer to support the combustion reaction.

4. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent charging apparatus forms a portion of the reagent launcher.

5. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent launcher forms a portion of the reagent charging apparatus.

6. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply operatively coupled to the reagent charging apparatus and configured to apply electricity to the reagent charging apparatus.

7. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reagent controller operatively coupled to the reagent launcher and configured to control a periodicity or a rate of reagent launched.

8. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a power supply operatively coupled to the reagent charging apparatus and configured to apply electricity to the reagent charging apparatus;
wherein the reagent controller is operatively coupled to the power supply and configured to control the electricity applied by the power supply to the reagent charging apparatus.

9. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 7 , further comprising:
at least one sensor operatively coupled to the reagent controller; wherein the reagent controller is configured to control the periodicity or rate of reagent launched responsive to a sensor signal received from the at least one sensor.

10. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent charging apparatus is configured to at least intermittently apply positive electrical charges to the reagent.

11. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 10 , wherein the positive electrical charges applied to the reagent are selected form a higher concentration of ammonium ions (NH 4 +) in the charged reagent than an equilibrium concentration of ammonium ions in the uncharged reagent.

12. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent charging apparatus is configured at least intermittently apply negative electrical charges to the reagent.

13. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent includes ammonia or urea; and
wherein the electrical charges applied by the reagent charging apparatus are configured to induce radicalization of ammonia or urea to form an ·NH 2 radical.

14. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical charges applied by the reagent charging apparatus are configured to increase reactivity of the reagent with NOx molecules in the flue gas compared to an uncharged reagent.

15. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical charges applied by the reagent charging apparatus are configured to increase mixing of the reagent with the flue gas compared to an uncharged reagent.

16. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a combustion reaction charging apparatus configured to apply a voltage or charge to the combustion reaction.

17. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 16 , wherein the combustion reaction charging apparatus is configured to apply, to the combustion reaction, a voltage or majority charge having an instantaneous polarity opposite to an instantaneous polarity of the electrical charges carried by the reagent.

18. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent charging apparatus is configured to apply a substantially constant charge concentration and sign to the reagent.

19. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent charging apparatus is configured to apply a time-varying charge concentration, a time-varying charge polarity, or a time-varying charge concentration and polarity to the reagent.

20. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an attraction electrode configured to be held at a voltage opposite in polarity to the reagent charge, and to draw the reagent across a flue or toward a catalyst.

21. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a catalyst bed.

22. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 21 , further comprising:
a power supply operatively coupled to the catalyst bed and configured to apply a voltage opposite in polarity to the reagent charge to the catalyst bed.

23. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 22 , wherein a catalyst in the catalyst bed includes an electrical conductor; and
wherein the power supply is configured to apply the voltage to the catalyst.

24. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 23 , further comprising:
wherein the voltage applied to the catalyst by the power supply is negative polarity; and
wherein the negative polarity applied to the catalyst is selected to increase a supply of electrons to a reaction intermediate.

25. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent launcher further comprises:
an apparatus configured to vaporize and apply a charge to the reagent or a liquid carrying the reagent.

26. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reagent controller operatively coupled to a power supply; and
a reagent supply valve operatively coupled to the reagent source, the reagent delivery passage, and a reagent controller;
wherein the reagent controller is configured to drive the reagent supply valve to admit a quantity of reagent to a vaporization chamber via the reagent delivery passage, and cause the power supply to apply a voltage-biased high voltage pulse to the electrodes.

27. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the reagent launcher further comprises:
an apparatus configured to meter the reagent into a dielectric gas, entrain the reagent in the dielectric gas, eject a charge into the dielectric gas, and deposit the charge from the dielectric gas onto the entrained reagent.

28. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured to eject a stream, pulse, or cloud of gas-entrained reagent.

29. The selective NOx reduction system of claim 1 , wherein the

Assignees

• Clearsign Comb Corp

Inventors

• Colannino Joseph
• Goodson David B
• Krichtafovitch Igor A
• Ruiz Roberto
• Wiklof Christopher A

Classifications

• Y10S423/10

  Plasma energized · CPC title

• F23J2219/201

  Reducing species generators, e.g. plasma, corona · CPC title

• F01N3/0892

  Electric or magnetic treatment, e.g. dissociation of noxious components · CPC title

• B01D2251/2062

  Ammonia · CPC title

• F23N5/003

  using detectors sensitive to combustion gas properties (F23N5/02, F23N5/18 - F23N5/26 take precedence) · CPC title