Hybrid Low NOx Process for Destruction of Bound Nitrogen Compounds

Radian Corporation has patented a unique process which combines thermal and catalytic reduction steps to destroy nitrogen-containing wastes that results in very low levels of NO, being formed. The technology will be beneficial for meeting certain provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and can be applied to a number of combustion processes, including incinerators, waste-tired boilers, fluidized bed combustors, and cogeneration units. The main process steps are as follows: 1) thermal and catalytic reduction, 2) cooling of products from reduction steps, and 3) catalytic oxidation. Bench- and pilotscale tests have demonstrated that NO, and CO levels below 10 ppmv, respectively, can be achieved with 2% excess Q2. Additional testing has shown that the process will destroy N2O which may have formed under certain operating conditions in the thermal reduction step. The technology has been licensed to Allied-Signal, the manufacturer of the catalysts used in the process. Radian and Allied plan to t e am with an equipment manufacturer for further proof-of-concept testing and commercialization of the process for incinerator applications. A case history is presented which demonstrates the advantages of the Hybrid Low NO, Process over staged, thermal incineration of a process vent stream