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International Journal of Earth & Environmental Sciences Volume 2 (2017), Article ID 2:IJEES-131, 9 pages
https://doi.org/10.15344/2456-351X/2017/131
Original Article
Numerical Study on Reduction of Ambient NOx Concentration by a Flow-through ACF (Activated Carbon Fibers) Fences

Toshihiro Kitada1*, Makoto Nagano1, Takaaki Shimohara2, Masaaki Yoshikawa3 and Takao Kanzaki4

1Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan
2Kyushu University, Japan
3Osaka Gas Co. Ltd., Japan
4Department of Mechanical Engineering, Daido University, Japan
Dr. Toshihiro Kitada, Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempakucho, Toyohashi, Aichi, 441-8580, Japan; E-mail: kitada@earth.ens.tut.ac.jp
20 March 2017; 08 May 2017; 10 May 2017
Kitada T, Nagano M, Shimohara T, Yoshikawa M, Kanzaki T (2017) Numerical Study on Reduction of Ambient NOx Concentration by a Flow-through ACF (Activated Carbon Fibers) Fences. Int J Earth Environ Sci 2: 131. doi: https://doi.org/10.15344/2456-351X/2017/131
This work was supported by Grant for Research and Development in Construction Technology, Grant No. 5102, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan, and in part by JSPS-MOE Core University Program on Urban Environment.

Abstract

A method to use fences filled inside with activated carbon fibers (ACF) is presented for reduction of high NO2 concentration in urban atmosphere without excess energy use. Polluted air mass in road space moves with natural- and car-induced- winds to contact with- and to flow through- ACF fences, and the ACF layer removes these pollutants. Two parameters determining the performance of the ACF fences in terms of NOx abatement were identified as (1) resistance coefficient of the ACF layer to air flow, and (2) chemical reactivity of ACF layer for NOx removal. By varying these two parameter values in their ranges obtained by laboratory experiments, the reduction of NOx concentration at roadside by the ACF fences was numerically evaluated under an idealized situation in which two cases were considered; one is the double-fences placed at both sides of road and the other is single fence set at downwind side of the road. The results showed that in both cases these “energy-free” equipment can decrease NOx concentration by 15~55% at roadside. Furthermore, it was indicated that in the double-fence case the ACF fence with lower permeability (larger resistance coefficient) shows higher reduction of NOx, while in the single fence case higher permeability reduces NOx more.