Vol. 12, No.2, pp.114-119 (2019)
Ethylene Decomposition by Nanosecond Pulsed Discharge and Evaluation of By-products
Y. Torigoe1, A. Iwasaki1, T. Namihira2, and D. Wang2
1Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Japan
2nstitute of Pulsed Power Science, Kumamoto University, Japan
Abstract
Ethylene (C2H4), which is a kind of plant hormone also known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), was decomposed by the nanosecond pulsed discharge. The applied voltage from the nanosecond pulse generator to the coaxial cylinder type reactor was either 30, 40, 50 kV and the pulse repetition rate was adjusted 5 - 100 pulses/sec (pps). The initial ethylene concentration of simulated gas was regulated at 100 ppm; gas flow rate was fixed to 5.0 L/min; and oxygen concentration was changed to 2, 5, 10, and 20%. Furthermore, influence of moisture in gas was investigated. Ethylene concentrations and some by-products such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), formic acid (HCOOH), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitric acid (HNO3) in the untreated and treated gases were analyzed by the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Ozone (O3) was analyzed by Ultraviolet Visible Adsorption Spectrophotometer (UV-VIS). The results show that ethylene was completely decomposed at 40 J/L without moisture and 70 J/L with moisture. O3 was not detected and HNO3 was sharply decreased in the by-products under moisture adding condition.
Keywords - Non-thermal plasma, nanosecond pulsed discharge, ethylene, VOCs, plasma process