Solarized photoreactors for degradation of chlorinated organics in air

In contrast to other Advanced Oxidation Technologies (AOTs), Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO) has the advantage of being solarizable and can be consider ed as a mild technology. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a photostable and cheap catalyst, and the process may run at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. In gas phase, some chlorinated high quantum compounds have been reported to achieve photoefficiencies above 100%. TCE has been selected as target compound for solarization of photoreactors. A careful exercise durin g design is needed to connect the solar photons source and related technolo gy, to the photoreactor itself, and subsequently to optimise the mass and p hoton transfer mechanisms. We have tested two different options for well-kn own collectors/concentrators. A first reactor at labscale has been used to proof the concept for possible application in flat-plate collectors, and a second option (a pyres tube containing a tubular matric), has been adapted for possible parabolic trough and CPC applications. In this paper the autho rs provide an analysis of performances, make a comparison among designs dis cussing some applications for each solar technology. Converse results regar ding conversion and reactor photonic efficiency have been obtained. A compr omise between efficiency of the reaction and the reactor should be found.