NOx Removal with Combined Selective Catalytic Reduction and Selective Noncatalytic Reduction: Pilot-Scale Test Results

Abstract

Pilot-scale tests were conducted to develop a combined nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction technology using both selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR). A commercially available vanadium- and titanium-based composite honeycomb catalyst and enhanced urea (NH2CONH2) were used with a natural-gas-fired furnace at a NOx concentration of 110 ppm. Changes in SNCR chemical injection temperature and stoichiometry led to varying levels of post-furnace ammonia (NH3), which acts as the reductant feed to the downstream SCR catalyst. The urea-based chemical could routinely achieve SNCR plus SCR total NOx reductions of 85 percent with less than 3 ppm NH3 slip at reductant/NOx stoichiometries ranging from about 1.5 to 2.5 and SCR space velocities of 18,000 to 32,000 h−1. This pilot-scale research has shown that SNCR and SCR can be integrated to achieve high NOx removal. SNCR provides high temperature reduction of NOx followed by further removal of NOx and minimization of NH3 slip by a significantly downsized (high-space velocity) SCR.