Fundamental Study of Oxidation in a Lean Thermal Reactor

The oxidation mechanism in a lean thermal reactor was studied with a number of basic experiments. It depends neither on engine speed nor airflow rate, but only on the residence time of the gas. It was shown that in a lean thermal reactor CO first increases by an HC→CO reaction and then decreases by a CO→CO₂ reaction.

The effect of NO on oxidation was also studied, and it was concluded that oxidation is affected by NO and that there exists a certain NO concentration which most accelerates oxidation.