Control of volatile organic compounds by an AC energized ferroelectric pellet reactor and a pulsed corona reactor

Two laboratory-scale plasma reactors, an alternating-current-energized ferroelectric (high-dielectric ceramic) packed-bed reactor and a nanosecond pulsed corona reactor, were constructured. The aim was to develop baseline engineering data to demonstrate the feasibility of applying plasma reactors to the destruction of various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Gas retention time, concentration, and corona power were varied to determine the effect on destruction efficiency, using gas chromatography for each VOC. Complete destruction was obtained for toluene. Conversions of methylene chloride at 95% and trichlorotrifluoroethane (known as CFC-113) at 67% were achieved. The conversion was dependent on the electron energy of the reactor and was also related to how strongly the halogen species were bonded with carbon.<
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