Destruction of acetone using a small-scale arcjet plasma torch
- Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
A small-scale thermal plasma torch has been constructed to determine the feasibility of its use to dispose of hazardous solvent wastes. The system has been studied using acetone as a test compound. The plasma jet is generated using argon and a commercial AC/DC welding supply. The system is operated using torch currents ranging from 50 to 200 A and solvent flow rates in the range 0--200 ml/h. Oxygen is added to alter the chemistry occurring in the reaction chamber. The destruction of acetone and the relative amounts of the reaction by-products are monitored using a residual gas analyzer. The pyrolysis products consist primarily of CO, CH{sub 4}, C{sub 2}H{sub 2}, C{sub 2}H{sub 4}, and other C{sub x}H{sub y} radicals when no oxygen is added to the system. By adding oxygen to the system, thermal oxidation processes occur that increase the production of CO{sub 2} and significantly decrease the amount of acetone in the exhaust gases. This paper includes data on the destruction efficiency of acetone as a function of solvent flow rate, torch power, argon flow rate and oxygen injection rate. The results indicate that greater than 99% destruction efficiency of acetone can be achieved with addition of oxygen to the reaction mixture using an arcjet current of 75 A.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 449452
- Journal Information:
- Waste Management, Vol. 16, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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