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Experimental Study on In-Situ Decomposition of VOCs Using Microwave-Induced Metal Discharge

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Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, haze has become a critical environmental issue. As a crucial precursor of haze, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have become a major research focus.

Methods

In this study, microwave-induced metal discharge was developed for VOC decomposition. Toluene was used as the VOC model compound. Four types of metal strips were investigated for their decomposition efficiency of toluene using a microwave-induced metal discharge process.

Results

All discharges, regardless of the metal type, achieved a high decomposition efficiency of toluene [> 60% (mol/mol)]. In addition, the effects of reaction conditions such as metal strip weight, gas flow rate, microwave power, and gas initial concentration were studied to investigate the decomposition efficiency. The reaction conditions were optimized following a multi-factor orthogonal experiment. The weight of the metal strips and gas flow rate had greater impacts on the decomposition efficiency, whereas the microwave power had a moderate impact. The major reaction products were CO2, CO, O3 and H2O. Both hydroxyl radicals and active oxygen atoms were very important for toluene oxidation.

Conclusion

This study offers an important reference for the development of new technology to support the decomposition of VOCs.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 51506116 and 51376112), and the Shandong Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (JQ201514).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Engineering Lab for Coal-fired Pollutants Emission Reduction, Shandong Provincial Key Lab of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China

    Yukun Feng, Wenlong Wang, Yican Wang, Jing Sun, Chao Zhang, Yanpeng Mao, Xiqiang Zhao & Zhanlong Song

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  1. Yukun Feng
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  2. Wenlong Wang
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Correspondence to Wenlong Wang.

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Feng, Y., Wang, W., Wang, Y. et al. Experimental Study on In-Situ Decomposition of VOCs Using Microwave-Induced Metal Discharge. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 3921–3929 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0263-4

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