Path: Home » Research and Publications » Research lines » NOx abatement in exhaust gases from vehicles
Staff

NOx abatement in exhaust gases from vehicles

The role of catalytic processes in the abatement of combustion emissions is well established. Typical examples are catalytic mufflers for purification of vehicle exhaust gases and catalytic filters to soot removal from automotive.
However, since regulations on combustion emissions are getting stricter and stricter, research in this field is still very active and it is targeted both to the improvement of existing processes and to the development of novel ones with superior emission abatement performances.
Based on this background, the research activity has been focused on more innovative processes including: Lean NOx trap for NOx abatement in exhaust gases from gasoline and diesel engines with lean and high efficient combustion (Toyota system) and NOx-trap for abatement of NOx emissions from gas turbine power stations (SCONOx process). The Toyota and the SCONOx processes are both based on the Lean NOx Trap concept, which consists of alternate cycles between a NOx storage phase on an alkaline sorbent during the normal lean operation regime (O2 excess) of the engine and a short regeneration phase performed under rich condition, in which stored species are reduced to molecular nitrogen. The research carried out on these processes has been focused to clarify the complex surface chemistry of the two phases (storage and rediction) with specific attention on the role of noble metals (Pt, Rh) and of storage components (Ba, K). The final target is the improvement of the performances and the reduction of the costs of the materials.

Faculties involved in the project are: Lidia Castoldi, Pio Forzatti, Luca Lietti