Removal of low-concentration BTX in air using a combined plasma catalysis system

The behavior of non-thermal plasma (NTP) and combined plasma catalysis (CPC) was investigated for removal of low-concentration benzene, toluene and p-xylene (BTX mixture) in air using a link tooth wheel-cylinder plasma reactor. Combining NTP with MnOx/Al2O3 catalyst after the discharge zone (CPC) significantly promoted BTX conversion and improved the energy efficiency. For a specific input energy (SIE) of 10J L-1, the conversion of benzene, toluene and p-xylene reached 94%, 97% and 95%, respectively. The introduction of MnOx/Al2O3 catalyst also moved the BTX conversion towards total oxidation and reduced the emission Of O-3 and NO2 as compared to NTP alone. For an SIE of 10J L-1, the O-3 outlet concentration decreased from 46.7 for NTP alone to 1.9 ppm for CPC, while the NO2 emission correspondingly decreased from 1380 to 40 ppb. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.