Cheng Chen

Abstract

There is a growing demand for energy usage in the world, primarily due to increasing economic activity. This need can be met by pursuing increased power generation. However the impact of emissions from power generation sources on the health of human beings and environmental continues to be a major concern. In order to maintain and enhance environmental quality there is a need for the development of clean energy products. A diesel aftertreatment device was developed at RIT to reduce particulate matter (PM) in the emissions of generators and diesel engines by using the combination of non-thermal plasma oxidation and emission catalyst technologies. The non-thermal plasma (corona discharge) created by a high voltage electrode produces ionized gas or plasma in the charging section of the device. Simultaneously gas atoms are excited, producing highly reactive O, OH, and NO2 radicals. These radicals oxidize PM to gaseous products including CO, and CO2. The device has a low pressure drop compared with other diesel aftertreatment devices since it selfregenerates and there is no accumulation of PM in the system. The scope of this thesis is to develop a numerical model to simulate the performance of this diesel aftertreatment device. The model calculates the diesel exhaust conditions, plasma generation condition, electric field, power consumption, particulate collection, and particle removal. The model results agree with the experimental data, which proves that the model can be used for system performance prediction. Based on keeping the same PM removal efficiency and back pressure effects on diesel engine, a method was developed for system scale-up or scale-down.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Diesel motor exhaust gas--Measurement; Diesel motor exhaust gas--Environmental aspects; Automobiles--Pollution control devices; Motor vehicles--Pollution control devices; Atmospheric electricity--Industrial applications; Atmospheric electricity--Environme

Publication Date

12-19-2005

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

Mechanical Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Ogut, Ali

Advisor/Committee Member

Boedo, Stephen

Advisor/Committee Member

Kochersberger, Kevin

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: TD886.8 .C43 2005

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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