Effect of V2O5 additive on simultaneous SO2 and NO removal from flue gas over a monolithic cordierite-based CuO/Al2O3 catalyst

A monolithic cordierite-based CuO/Al2O3 catalyst showed industrial potential for simultaneous SO2 and NO removal from flue gases at 350–400 °C. However, it is still a challenge to prevent CuO from aggregation and to keep it in an active state during the removal and regeneration processes. This work shows that addition of V2O5 to the catalyst can significantly reduce CuO particle size and improve SO2 removal activity, and maintain a high selective catalytic reduction (SCR) activity for NO removal. Furthermore, V2O5 additive prevents aggregation of SiO2 in the cordierite with the coated Al2O3, and inhibits over reduction of the SO2 removal product, CuSO4, during the regeneration by NH3, which are important to the catalyst's stability. V2O5 additive changes the regeneration product from Cu3N to CuO and thus may avoid the temperature rise and NOx release in the subsequent removal process.