(234d) Development and Characterization of a Tubular High-Density Plasma Reactor for Water Treatment | AIChE

(234d) Development and Characterization of a Tubular High-Density Plasma Reactor for Water Treatment

Authors 

Johnson, D. C. - Presenter, Colorado State University
Dandy, D. S. - Presenter, Colorado State University


Keywords:  tubular high-density plasma
reactor, chemical kinetics, discharge characteristics

 

Experiments have yielded a number of important insights
into the sparging and oxidation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE),
benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, m- and p-xylene, and o-xylene
(BTEX) in a dense medium plasma reactor (DMPR). Rate constants associated with
plasma initiated oxidation, interphase mass transfer and photolysis were
determined using a combination of nonlinear least squares analysis and Matlab® optimization for each
species. The rate constants developed for the DMPR, in conjunction with a species
mass balance on a prototype tubular high-density plasma reactor, have been applied
to determine the removal rates of MTBE and the BTEXs when operating in batch
and continuous flow configurations. The dependence of contaminant concentration
on parameters such as treatment time, the number of pin electrodes, electrode
gap and volumetric flow rate has been determined. It was found that, under
various design specifications and operating conditions, the tubular
high-density plasma reactor may be an effective tool for the removal of volatile
organic compounds from aqueous solutions. Based on these promising results, a
prototype tubular high-density plasma reactor has been fabricated.
Characterization of the aqueous plasma discharge has been performed as an
initial step in determining the feasibility of the new reactor to oxidize
aqueous organic compounds. Current and voltage measurements are presented for
varying operating conditions such as electrode gap, solution conductivity,
number of pin electrodes and feed gas. The sputtering rate of the cathodes has
also been examined to determine the time for which the plasma discharge can be
sustained without electrode maintenance.