Perspective of NOx removal from numerical simulation of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma chemical kinetics

We present results of numerical simulations of the chemical kinetics in the gas-phase of air discharges at high pressure which operates in a streamer regime. In particular we have studied theoretically the effect of the presence of small amounts of contaminants such as nitrogen oxides in the initial gas mixture. Simulation of a single isolated streamer and the detailed temporal evolution of the discharge gas phase where studied, showing the interplay between different time scale processes. The effect due to charged as well as metastable species on chemical kinetics have been discussed too. Then we have studied the dependence of chemical species density on discharge parameters such the electron temperature, the electron density, the transverse radius of the streamer and the streamer formation time. Results can prove relevant for a better understanding of the operating conditions under which NOx remediation is feasible using this kind of atmospheric pressure plasmas