UV-Radiation Through DC-Corona Discharge and Wastewater Treatment

Abstract— UV-radiation is applicable in waste water treatment. Target is to investigate the decomposition and degradation of hazardous pollutants at specific current/voltage characteristics in DC-Corona discharge reactor equipped with brush type discharge electrode. Depletion of total organic carbon (TOC) and change of pH was determined in a tube type corona discharge reactor under air flow and water circulation. TOC depletion and pH change is quite similar to the results of acetone oxidation under UV-irradiation with a low pressure Hg Lamp (LPML). A DC-Corona discharge reactor equipped with a brush type discharge electrode is capable of oxidizing and disintegrating pollutant like acetone and phenol. Complete degradation of acetone into intermediate products and finally into carbon dioxide is possible.

A DC-Corona discharge reactor was investigated at various applied voltage to determine UV-radiation. Experimental investigation shows that system is capable to generate the UV-radiation over a range of 230-265 nm. DC-Corona reactor with brush type discharge electrodes is capable to produce the oxidizing reagents at ambient operation conditions. It is hard to differentiate either degradation of pollutants is individual effect of intense corona, UV-radiation or oxidizing reagents. An accumulative effect of UV-radiation and oxidizing reagents on degradation of organic pollutants was measured and confirmed.