REMOVAL OF SULFUR OXIDES AND NITROGEN OXIDES FROM FLUE GAS BY CATALYTIC CONVERSION USING REDUCED ZIRCONIA

EMISSION OF SULFUR OXIDES (SOX) AND NITROGEN OXIDES (NOX) IN FLUE GASES IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF AIR POLLUTION AND ACID RAIN. CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR SOX REMOVAL ARE EXPENSIVE AND CUMBERSOME. SULFUR DIOXIDE IS CONVERTED TO SULFURIC ACID, WHICH IS VERY CORROSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO STORE AND TRANSPORT. REMOVAL OF NOX IS ACCOMPLISHED BY CATALYTIC CONVERSION USING PLATINUM CATALYSTS. PLATINUM CATALYSTS ARE EXPENSIVE AND EASILY POISONED. HIGH CONVERSIONS ARE ALSO DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH. REDUCTION OF NOX AND SOX TO N2,S6, AND O2 CAN BE READILY ACCOMPLISHED BY CATALYTIC CONVERSION USING REDUCED ZIRCONIA. REDUCED ZIRCONIA OFFERS VERY HIGH CONVERSION RATES AND WILL NOT POISON. PHASE I WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASBILITY OF CREATING A CATALYTIC REACTOR USING REDUCED ZIRCONIA AND WILL ESTABLISH OPERATING PARAMETERS AND FABRICATION TECHNIQUES.