K. Hadidi et al., Economic study of the tunable electron beam plasma reactor for volatile organic compound treatment, J AIR WASTE, 49(2), 1999, pp. 225-228
Citations number
9
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Environmental Engineering & Energy
A tunable electron beam generated plasma system has been developed for sele
ctive cold plasma treatment of dilute concentrations (1-3,000 ppm range) of
hazardous compounds in gaseous waste treatment. This system, referred to a
s the Tunable Hybrid Plasma (THP), has shown a high degree of efficiency an
d effectiveness in both laboratory and field tests. Decomposition energy re
quirements are in the 100 eV per molecule range for treatment of carbon tet
rachloride and 10 eV for treatment of trichloroethylene.
A cost comparison has been made between the Tunable Hybrid Plasma (THP) tec
hnology and three conventional technologies used for emission control of vo
latile organic compounds (VOCs): granular activated carbon, thermal inciner
ation, and catalytic oxidation. In addition to its environmentally attracti
ve features, THP technology has the potential to be lower cost than other t
echnologies over a range of concentrations and flow rates. Cost projections
for the THP system for decomposition of trichloroethylene are around 50 ce
nts/lb for initial concentrations in the few hundred ppm range and flow rat
es of 5,000 cfm or greater and around $1/lb for 1,000 cfm flow rates. Cost
projections for carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane decomposition usin
g the THP technology are several dollars per pound. The costs for THP treat
ment are generally significantly lower than costs for use of granular activ
ated carbon and are also quite competitive with costs for thermal incinerat
ion and catalytic oxidation.