An electrothermal fluidized-bed photochemical carbon-particle plasma reactor for hazardous waste treatment.

摘要

A new device, the Electrothermal Fluidized-Bed Photochemical Carbon-Particle Plasma Reactor (ETR), has been developed to the point of practical application for the treatment of waste and other purposes. Complications in the reactor design have been overcome, and optimum parameters have been determined for the most effective destruction of wastes. Further experimentation and testing has the potential to prove the ETR plasma system to be the best available technology for the destruction of a variety of hazardous wastes.;Even when fluidized with oxygen-containing inorganic gases, the ETR maintains a reducing environment and produces combustible gases. Its destructive ability indicates that the ETR plasma constitutes a high energy environment capable of breaking even the strongest chemical bonds.;The ETR plasma system has demonstrated dechlorination/destruction of chlorinated methanes, chlorobenzene, nitrobenzene, and aniline, achieving destruction and removal efficiencies (DREs) of 99.9% and greater. A plain carbon surface proved to be the best solid medium for the breakdown of organochloride compounds. The nitrogen present in nitrobenzene, which has a positive oxidation number, is virtually all converted to diatomic nitrogen gas with no detectable ammonia produced. Aniline destruction produces both nitrogen gas and ammonia, which can be explained by the chemical state of the nitrogen.;To conserve costly hydrogen gas and retain any aerosol produced within the plasma unit, a recirculating ETR plasma system was constructed and tested for chlorobenzene destruction capabilities. The recirculating system performed effectively in destroying the chlorobenzene parent compound with minimal PAH production. In an industrial setting, this system would effectively and significantly reduce hydrogen gas costs.;The plasma environment of the ETR is capable of producing either a silicon carbide or elemental metal coating on the surface of carbon particles. These coatings enhance certain physical properties of the carbon particles. In general, the electrothermal plasma reactor process is capable of modifying the carbon particle surfaces, with the modifications dependent on the materials introduced into the plasma.