New operation strategy for driving the selectivity of NO x reduction to N 2 , NH 3 or N 2 O during lean/rich cycling of a lean NO x trap catalyst
Periodical regeneration of NO x storage catalyst (also known as lean NO x trap) by short rich pulses of CO, H 2 and hydrocarbons is necessary for the reduction of nitrogen oxides adsorbed on the catalyst surface. Ideally, the stored NO x is converted into N 2 , but N 2 O and NH 3 by-products can be formed as well, particularly at low-intermediate temperatures. The N 2 and N 2 O products are formed concurrently in two peaks. The primary peaks appear immediately after the rich-phase inception, and tail off with the breakthrough of the reductant front accompanied by NH 3 product. In addition, the secondary N 2 and N 2 O peaks then appear at the rich-to-lean transition as a result of reactions between surface-deposited reductants/intermediates (CO, HC, NH 3 , — NCO) and residual stored NO x under increasingly lean conditions.