REDUCTION OF NITRIC OXIDE WITH CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FROM PEAT

Abstract

The direct NO reduction to produce N2 and CO2 using carbonaceous materials, chars and
activated carbons, was studied. Chars were prepared from peat by pyrolysis, at temperatures
ranging from 873 K to 1073 K. Activated carbons were prepared by the physical activation
of chars with steam, in a steel reactor, at 1073 K for 12 minutes, 25 minutes and 45
minutes. The kinetics of NO reduction using chars and activated carbons produced at
different experimental conditions were evaluated at different temperatures in the range
623-723 K. The gaseous products were essentially CO2 and N2 and the amount of CO
produced was negligible. The effect of the temperature on the kinetics of reduction was
also evaluated and the relationship between the rate constant and the temperature showed
an Arrhenius dependence. Activation energies of the NO reduction were in the range 6.75
to 7.97 kcal.mol-1 for the chars and in the range 8.14 to 9.52 kcal.mol-1 for the activated
carbons.