Effects of NOx control on pollutant emissions in natural-gas fueled stationary reciprocating engines. Topical report, September 1991-June 1992

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6673324

Huey, S; Castaldini, C

Field tests were performed on five natural gas reciprocating engines. Four engines were retrofitted with the following NOx control technologies: a nonselective catalytic reduction (NSCR) system retrofitted on a 4-cycle rich-burn engine; a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system retrofitted on a 4-cycle lean-burn engine; and combustion modifications (PreCombustion Chamber (PCC)) retrofitted on two lean-burn engines (one 2-cycle and one 4-cycle). These controls are candidate technologies to reduce NOx emissions from natural gas prime movers. The fifth engine, a 2-cycle lean-burn engine, was tested without NOx controls. The field test program quantified the effects of these NOx controls on pollutant emissions, and found that, in some cases, NOx reduction can result in increased carbon monoxide (CO), total unburned hydrocarbons (TUHC), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and formaldehyde emissions. Benzene, toluene, and formaldehyde were the major air-toxic compounds found in the exhausts of all engines tested, at concentrations of less than 0.3 ppm, for benzene and toluene, and 20 ppm, for formaldehyde. In general, benzene and toluene emissions decreased with the addition of either combustion modification and exhaust gas treatment controls. Formaldehyde emissions decreased across the rich-burn catalysts. Volatile organic compound (VOC, measured as NMHC) emissions increased when lean-burn combustion modifications and the SCR control system were applied, but decreased when the NSCR control system was applied.

• Research Organization: Acurex Environmental Corp., Mountain View, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6673324
• Report Number(s): PB-93-158582/XAB; CNN: GRI-5091-254-2209
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
034000 -- Natural Gas-- Combustion
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330800* -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ALDEHYDES
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
BENZENE
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC COMBUSTORS
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTORS
CONTROL
DENITRIFICATION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
EXHAUST SYSTEMS
FIELD TESTS
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
MODIFICATIONS
NATURAL GAS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
REDUCTION
SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TOLUENE
TOXICITY