Proof of concept of the SCR of NOx in a real diesel engine exhaust using commercial diesel fuel and a full size Pt/beta zeolite/honeycomb monolith

The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx has been performed in a real diesel exhaust stream with commercial diesel fuel by using a full size home-made Pt/beta zeolite/honeycomb prototype catalyst. Fuel was injected upstream of the catalyst to achieve total hydrocarbon concentrations between 1000 and 5000 ppm, and the SCR behavior observed was similar to that typically reported in laboratory experiments performed with model hydrocarbons. Typical NOx removal volcano-shape profiles, with maxima at 250 °C for all THC inlet concentrations, were obtained, with an optimum THC concentration of 3000 ppm.