Removal of ethyl acetate by plasma enhanced with jet flows

Abstract

Non-thermal plasma is widely used for the removal of volatile organic compounds owing to the various advantages of this technique, which include being maneuverable, environmentally friendly, and low-cost compared with traditional methods. In this paper, the removal of ethyl acetate by non-thermal plasma enhanced with jet flows was carried out in a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor. The influence of the plasma-induced jet flows produced by the discharge of two plasma generators with different arrangements on the spatial flow field was explored. The removal efficiency of ethyl acetate was determined with a series of different experimental parameters: the loading voltage (7–13 kV), the initial concentration of ethyl acetate (100, 500, and 1000 ppm), and the arrangement of the two plasma generators (aligned and diagonal). The results of the numerical simulations and particle image velocimetry tests showed good consistency regarding the influence of the arrangement of the two plasma generators on the spatial flow field. This indicates that the Suzen model was successfully developed for the bulk discharge, and the plasma-induced jet flows generated by the coaxial dielectric barrier discharge could be determined by the direct numerical simulations. The maximal removal efficiency was achieved with a loading voltage of 13 kV, and the removal efficiency of ethyl acetate was greater for the aligned arrangement of plasma generators than for the diagonal arrangement. This work demonstrates for the first time the introduction of the aerodynamics effects of non-thermal plasma into the chemical reaction, providing a completely new way to remove volatile organic compounds.