Cleaning of air streams from organic pollutants by plasma-catalytic oxidation

Oxidative removal of a mixture of chlorinated ethylenes and aromatic compounds in air in a pulse corona discharge reactor combined with metal oxide catalyst downstream was investigated in a field experiment. Discharge was initiated by high-voltage pulses of 70-75kV peak voltage and 200 ns risetime. A flow of 60 m(3)/h was treated at 11-12 Wh/m(3) with catalyst held at 110 degrees C at a space velocity of 6000 h(-1). Removal rates of 70-90% have been found with input concentrations in the parts per million and the subparts per million range. No partially oxidized hydrocarbons could be detected in cleaned air. A closed carbon balance was confirmed under laboratory test conditions.