Synergistic Effect of Mediated Electrochemical Reduction and Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation on NO Removal by Electro-Scrubbing

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2016. Published by ECS. All rights reserved.A combined MER (mediated electrochemical reduction) and MEO (mediated electrochemical oxidation) approach was examined for the first time for the efficient removal of NO by electro-scrubbing. The generation of a mediator (Ni(I) from Ni(II)(CN)42- in 9 M KOH) by electrochemical reduction was identified by the changes in the ORP value and potentiometric titration. The Ni(I) formation found to be 9% (4.3 mM) in 2 h electrolysis, which is decreased to 1.83 mM (4%) during addition of NO demonstrates NO removal occurred. The MER of NO at the cathodic half-cell by electro-scrubbing revealed the formation of NH3 and N2. The reductive removal efficiency of NO was almost 100% up to a gas flow rate of 0.25 g min-1. At the anodic half-cell, the Co(III) mediator from Co(II)SO4 in 5 M H2SO4 was generated electrochemically with concomitant conversion of NO to NO3- in the solution phase with a removal efficiency of 28%. The combination of MEO and MER with electro-scrubbing demonstrates 97% removal efficiency of NO up to 0.5 g min-1. The combined removal approach is more suitable for high concentrated NO with energy efficiency of 0.99 g/kWh compared to the individual MEO (0.221 g/kWh) and MER (0.769 g/kWh) approaches.