High power - positive pulsed corona discharge systems for volatile organic compounds (VOC) abatement

Summary form only given. Since major traditional techniques such as regenerative thermal incineration or regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) for VOCs removal require relatively high energy consumption and result in high treatment costs, many efforts have been put into developing alternative technologies for gas phase depollution. Here the test results of VOCs reduction by using two high power-positive pulsed corona discharge systems are demonstrated. One pulsed corona discharge system, which consumes 3.5 kW and treats up to the flow rate of 350 m ³/h, was developed at Drexel Plasma Institute three years ago as a core of the mobile pilot plant to demonstrate promising technology for treatment of high volume-low concentration (HVLC) industrial ventilation streams contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOC). Also, recently the other relatively small system with respect to volume and power (1.5 kW and 100 m³/h) has been built to investigate more conveniently and in more detail. Here most of the energy (up to 99.9%) is directed in the production of high-energy electrons, rather than in heating the gas. Radicals, ions, and other active species which are generated mainly via electron impact dissociation, excitation, and ionization of the background gas, can breakdown or decompose the various hazardous organic pollutants. Various chemical processes have been tested for removal of methanol, acetone, dimethyl sulfide and a-pinene. The experimental results are presented along with parameter studies which include contaminant concentration, energy density, and water effect