Corona Discharge Activation of Oxidative Species Using High Aspect Ratio Catalysts in Microchannel Devices At Reduced Corona Onset Potentials

Corona Discharge Activation of Oxidative Speciesusing High Aspect Ratio Catalysts in Microchannel Devices at Reduced Corona Onset Potentials

Justin Pommerenck, Peter Kreider, Kevin Caple, Jordan Pommerenck, and

Alexandre Yokochi

           

Activation of otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reactions usually requires addition of external activating energy resources including catalysts, sacrificial chemical energy sources (e.g., LiAlH4 in many organic reactions), heat, ultrasound, light and high voltage electrical discharge.  Recently, our lab has started investigation of the activation of chemical reactions employing low voltage electrical corona discharge.  We achieve these ultra-low turn-on voltages for the corona discharge via the application of high aspect ratio catalysts in microreactor channels. Employing this approach we have demonstrated efficient and inexpensive methods for advanced oxidation of chemical compounds including the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in wastewater treatment and of sulfur containing species in petrochemical fuels.

In our recent work, microchannel devices with varying channel heights were fabricated in order to characterize changes in turn-on potential, corona radius development, oxidative potential and microreactor conversion. A precursor to a predictive, finite-difference model has been constructed for evaluation of the relative importance of reaction engineering parameters.  In our presentation, results of this ongoing research project will be discussed.