Gaseous Pollutants Removal by Combined Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Treatment

Abstract: The paper presents the test results obtained for SO2, NOx and VOCs removal at semi-pilot scale by combined electron beams (EB) and microwaves (MW) induced non-thermal plasma processes, named EB+MW-NTP. Also, it is described a demonstrative installation consisting of an EB source of 1.8 MeV and 10.8 kW, a microwave source of 2.45 GHz and 4.2 kW and a reaction chamber of 1.102 m x 0.73 m x 0.243 m inner dimensions, in which are injected both, EB and MW. For VOCs removal is used combined EB+MW-NTP and catalytic oxidation, named EB+MW-plasma catalysis, by introducing a catalyst bed at the bottom end of the reaction chamber. The high power EB and MW sources are able to activate the catalyst without additional heat supply. The EB+MW-NTP process, compared with separate EB-NTP or separate MW-NTP process, provides higher pollutants removal efficiencies. The results suggest that chemical reactions driven in both types of plasma, EB-plasma and MW-plasma, complete and sustain each other at a higher rate level in the case of pollutants treatment by EB+MW-plasma