PLASMA REMEDIATION OF PERCHLOROETHYLENE IN HUMID GAS STREAMS

Perchloroethylene (PCE) is one of a class of industrial solvents for w hich alternate disposal strategies are being investigated. Among these strategies is plasma remediation. In this paper we report on a comput ational study of the plasma remediation of PCE using repetitively puls ed dielectric barrier discharges. We discuss the dominant reaction pat hways in the remediation of PCE and show that remediation is significa ntly improved in humid gas mixtures. Although plasma remediation does not totally oxidize PCE to the desired end-products (CO2 and HCl), the dominant end-products are more easily treated than PCE and can be dis posed of using conventional methods. (C) 1995 American Institute of Ph ysics.