Ozonizer discharge as a gas-phase advanced oxidation process

摘要

In the past several years, there has been increased interest in gas-phase pollution control arising from a larger body of environmental regulations and a greater respect for the environment. One promising class of pollution-control technologies is that called advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Ozonizers have been used for over a century in water treatment and for about two decades in advanced oxidation. Ozonizers are fundamentally based on non-thermal plasmas, which are useful for generating reactive species (free radicals) in gas streams. Because radical-attack reaction rate constants are very large for many chemical species, entrained pollutants are readily decomposed by these radicals. Non-thermal plasmas can generate both oxidative and reductive radicals; therefore, they show promise for treating a wide variety of pollutants. However, this application is only about a decade old, so more work is needed for optimizing and commercializing the process. This paper is intended to serve as an introduction to the subject of pollutant decomposition with the nonthermal plasmas generated by ozonizer discharges. Basic plasma and decomposition chemistry, laboratory experiments, and example applications are discussed.