Adsorption and pressure swing desorption of NOx in Na-Y zeolite: Experiments and modeling

Pressure swing NO x adsorption-desorption cycles were performed in the temperature range 200-350 °C using a fixed adsorbent bed of compressed Na-Y pellets and using a honeycomb coated with Na-Y powder. The experiments were performed using a synthetic gas mixture mimicking exhaust from a lean burn internal combustion engine. Na-Y zeolite coadsorbs NO and NO 2 as N 2 O 3 , which in the regeneration were displaced by competitively adsorbed water molecules from a hydrated air stream. The performance of the fixed bed in these NO x adsorption and displacement desorption processes were modeled with a one-dimensional model. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters from the fixed bed model were implemented in a model for the operation of the monolith. The experimental adsorption and desorption NO x concentration profiles in the monolith were reasonably well reproduced by the model. The water content of the flushing stream and the stripping gas flow rate are key process parameters. Technically, both parameters can be optimized in a valveless system with rotating honeycomb adsorbent comprising a NO x adsorption, a water injection and a NO x evacuation section.