In this thesis, the development and use of a transient heterogeneous 2D model for monolithic catalytic converter is presented. Study on the cold flow hydrodynamics, temperature effect and CO conversion and light off behaviour of different models is developed. Different models are studied based on different parameters such as monolith brick CPSI configuration, size of the converter, inlet cone sizing and inlet velocity of the converter. The results for both steady state and transient modes are presented in detail. It is shown that monolith brick CPSI has a significant effect on pressure drop and light-off behaviour of the converter. Also, converter size has a major effect on the performance of a converter. Inlet cone sizing showed to have a significant effect on the hydrodynamics of the converter but it did not have a major effect on light-off behaviour of the converter. / Chemical Engineering

No description available.

Woodstove emission of atmospheric pollutants has been a growing concern in the last two decades, and catalytic combustors have been used in woodstoves to reduce emissions. Field tests of EPA-certified catalytic stoves have demonstrated that emission factors increase substantially after a few seasons of use, and catalyst degradation is a suspected cause. Previously, an in-field test developed to assess catalyst condition was performed on a group of catalytic stoves in field use. In the current study, a laboratory test apparatus and procedure for the evaluation of woodstove catalysts was developed to verify the accuracy of the field test. Bench tests were performed on 24 aged catalysts retrieved from the field-tested stoves. In the bench test, steady-state conversions of CO and propene were measured at discrete temperatures ranging from 100°C to 400°C. At a temperature of 400°C, the average CO conversion of the aged catalysts was 94.8% and the average propene conversion was 83.1%. Comparison of individual catalyst data did not show a strong correlation between field measurements and bench test data. It is concluded that inaccuracies in the field test are responsible for the lack of correlation, and modifications to the field tests are recommended. In addition to the experimental work, a flow model of a catalytic woodstove was developed to better understand the interaction between the combustion process and the fluid mechanics within a woodstove. Evaluations of a catalytic woodstove under a set of baseline operating conditions show that the catalyst is not a significant source of frictional pressure loss in a catalytic stove-flue system. The model also predicts that increasing the flue crosswind velocity from 0 to 5 m/s will increase the mass flow rate through the stove by 21%. / Master of Science

No description available.

The main topic of this thesis is a catalytic oxidation which belongs to a group of modern technologies for removing emission of CO and VOC from waste air. In the introduction of this thesis, the basic concepts are defined. Further the legislative requirements associated with VOC emissions, emission limits and conditions are summarized. Described destructive and non-destructive methods for removing VOCs from waste gases are also briefly described. Increased attention is paid to the catalytic oxidation as the main theme of the thesis. It was searched for industrial applications where the catalytic oxidation is used. Another chapter is devoted to the theoretical analysis of kinetics of catalytic oxidation reactions. Firstly, the basic types of reactors are described and also material balance and reaction rate for the isothermal and adiabatic reactor. In the experimental part results of performed kinetic measurements on a pilot unit for catalytic commonly used organic solvents (VOCs) using commercially available catalysts were summarized. Pre-exponential factors and activation energies for sprinkling catalysts EnviCat VOC-5565 and EnviCat 55068 for substances ethanol, toluene and acetone were determined. "Light-off" curves for these substances and methane were measured and on sprinkled catalyst EnviCat 55068 and on monolithic catalyst Purelyst PH-304.

In this thesis, the experimental test facilities consisted of a well instrumented live Ford 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine connected to a specially made exhaust can, which contained a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). Experiments were performed on DOCs, which were specially prepared by Johnson Matthey, and had thermocouples mounted in their walls to measure axial temperature profiles. These DOCs consisted of a Pt catalyst dispersed in an alumina washcoat on a cordierite monolith supports, and were representative of a commercial application. Experiments were performed on Full-scale DOCs (o.d. = 106 mm, length = 114 mm), and also on Thin-slice DOCs (length = 5 and 10 mm), which generate some interesting data, and enabled a technique that is normally only used in laboratory bench-top experiments to be applied to a live engine. A number of different methodologies were developed based on (a) the operation of the engine at pseudo-steady-state operating conditions, and (b) transient experiments (e.g. a pulse of CO was injected into the exhaust gas just before the DOC). For example, it was shown how experiments on a live engine can be used to explore: (a) the hysteresis between light-off and extinction curves, (b) how catalyst temperature rise during warm-up of a DOC, (c) the promotion effect that hydrogen has on the conversion of CO, (d) the extent of competition for active catalytic sites, e.g. between CO, THCs, propane or hydrogen. The main findings are: (a) the hysteresis between light-off and extinction curves are mainly caused by CO inhibition, (b) the promotion effect of hydrogen on CO oxidation is largely attributed to thermal effect, (c) LHHW form rate expression is not adequate for catalytic converter modelling under transient conditions, (d) the competition for active catalytic sites is not apparent at the test conditions performed in this thesis. Moreover, a number of case studies were also used to illustrate how the experimental results/techniques developed in this thesis, may be used to support modelling studies. iii

In order to facilitate the application of solid oxide fuel cells, in conjunction with reduced research and development costs, there is a need for accurate performance models to aid scientists and engineers in component and process design. To this end, an enhanced transient performance model has been developed. The present thesis enhances transient modeling and simulation via characterization of two important transient phenomena. They are bimodal stimuli (i.e., simultaneous changes in reactant supply and load demand) electrical transients, inclusive of the simulation of electrolysis, and the electrochemical light off phenomenon. One key result of the electrochemical light off simulations was that the realization that electrochemical parameters such as cell potential may be used as dynamic control variables during transitional heating of the cell. Reflective of the state-of-the-art in controls and dynamic simulation development, the modeling efforts are completed in the MATLAB computing environment. There is then a tangible software development that accompanies the modeling and simulation exercises and transient insights resolved.

Le nouveau mode de combustion HCCI est adapté pour réduire les émissions d’oxydes d’azote et de particules fines issues de moteurs Diesel afin de respecter les futures normes d’émission Euro de plus en plus drastiques. Ce type de combustion se traduit par l’augmentation des émissions de monoxyde de carbone et des hydrocarbures et par une faible température des gaz d’échappement retardant ainsi leur conversion par le catalyseur d’oxydation Diesel (DOC). C’est dans ce contexte environnemental et économique que le couplage plasma-catalyseur apparait comme une solution intéressante afin d’améliorer l’efficacité du traitement des gaz d’échappement Diesel. Cette thèse est dédiée à l’étude du couplage d’un plasma non-thermique de type décharge à barrière diélectrique (DBD) et d’un catalyseur d’oxydation Diesel (Pt-Pd/Al2O3) pour le traitement de mélanges gazeux représentatifs d’un échappement de moteur Diesel HCCI (O2-NO-H2O-CO-CO2-CH4-C3H6- C7H8-C10H22-N2). Les expériences avec un réacteur plasma pilote ont été menées sur deux bancs expérimentaux : le premier à l’échelle laboratoire en vue de comprendre la physico-chimie impliquant le plasma et le catalyseur avec une attention particulière pour les sous-produits de réaction, et le second à l’échelle industriel afin de déterminer l’efficacité et la faisabilité d’un tel couplage dans les conditions de débit et de température les plus proches possibles de celles rencontrées en sortie moteur véhicule. L’étude menée en fonction de la puissance injectée dans le milieu, la VVH, la température des gaz, ainsi que la nature du cycle de roulage a permis de montrer l’efficacité du plasma pour abaisser de façon significative la température d’activation du DOC pour l’oxydation de CO et des hydrocarbures. Aussi, la présence du plasma en amont du DOC a permis, sur un cycle NEDC simulé, une réduction de 68% et 42% des masses de CO et des hydrocarbures émis en accord avec la norme Euro6 (2014). L’efficacité du plasma pour l’oxydation des hydrocarbures et de NO à basse température dans ces conditions de débits élevés (jusqu’à 900 Lmin−1 sur le cycle NEDC) a été confirmée et les principaux produits de réaction identifiés et quantifiés. / The new HCCI combustion mode is well adapted to improve nitrogen oxide and particulate matter reduction from Diesel engine in order to meet future emission regulations adopted in the Euro zone. However, HCCI engines emit relatively high amounts of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide due to lower engine exhaust temperature increasing the catalyst light-off time and decreasing the average efficiency of the Diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). In this environmental and economic context, the combination of plasma with DOC has been considered especially for intermittent use during the cold start. The thesis presents the combination of nonthermal plasma upstream Diesel oxidation catalyst (Pt-Pd/Al2O3) applied to the treatment of simulating Diesel HCCI exhaust gas (O2-NO-H2O-CO-CO2-CH4-C3H6-C7H8-C10H22-N2). The studies were conducted at atmospheric pressure with a pilot-scale dielectric barrier discharge reactor (DBD) on two experimental devices. The first is a laboratory scale set-up (low flow rate : 20 Lmin−1) used to understand the physico-chemical involving the plasma and the catalyst by focusing on the by-products reactions. The second is an industrial scale (gas flow rate up to 260 Lmin−1) used to study the feasibility and the efficiency of the plasma-DOC system under conditions similar to those encountered in Diesel exhaust engine. The effects of the plasma, the DOC and the plasma-DOC systems on the exhaust gas have been investigated under various conditions. The main contribution of the plasma was to give a « thermal » and a chemical « push » to the DOC resulting in the decrease of light-off temperature for CO and HC oxidation. These improvements were shown to depend on the treatment conditions (injected energy i.e. energy density, space velocity, gas temperature and nature of the driving cycle). It is shown that for a simulated European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the combination of plasma upstream DOC reduces the cumulative mass of CO and hydrocarbons by about 68% and 42%, respectively, in accordance with the Euro 6 standard (2014). The efficiency of plasma for hydrocarbons and NO oxidation at low temperature in high flow conditions (up to 900 Lmin−1 on the NEDC) has been confirmed and the main reaction products identified and quantified.