Design of an efficient photocatalytic reactor for the decomposition of gaseous organic contaminants in air

Abstract Here, a strategy for decomposing gaseous organic contaminants by photocatalytic reactions is reported. A photocatalytic reactor is designed, based on an open tubular reactor with a UV light source installed at the center of the glass tube to permit the vertical irradiation of light onto the photocatalyst. TiO 2 immobilized on a stainless steel plate and a fiber based material, respectively, are placed on the inner wall of an open tubular reactor. The fibers of felt induce wake and eddy flow near the inner surface of the reactor, resulting in compression of boundary layer. The compressed boundary layer provides a higher probability of contact between organic contaminants and the photocatalyst, consequently resulting in the enhanced photocatalytic oxidative decomposition of organic compounds. The inlet of photoreactor is modified in order to better control the bulk stream to form spiral-like flow. The reactor with a single tangent inlet exhibits the highest photocatalytic performance among the reactors examined, as an evidence of the improved probability of contact. Importantly, the reactor with a single tangent inlet, in which TiO 2 immobilized felt is installed, maintains its photocatalytic activities for as long as twenty days.