Soot elimination and NO/sub x/ and SO/sub x/ reduction in diesel-engine exhaust by a combination of discharge plasma and oil dynamics

The soot in the exhaust gas from a 2-L diesel-engine car has been eliminated almost completely, independent of the load and cruising speed, by a plasma reactor mounted downstream of the engine exhaust and a novel technique using a combination of discharge plasma and oil dynamics. The NO/sub x/ (NO/sub 2/+NO) and SO/sub x/ components have also been reduced by about 70% at a rotational speed of 1200 rpm and a load of 7 kg-m, corresponding to about 60% of maximum torque (about 11.4 kg-m at 1200 rpm). The reduction rate of NO/sub x/ in this investigation is about 20% more efficient than ordinary treatment using a discharge plasma only. >