VOC decomposition by nonthermal plasma processing — a new approach

Abstract A new approach to describe VOC decomposition by nonthermal plasma processes is presented. In contrast to the conventional energy balance concept, this approach takes into account the influence of electron impact that is transferred to VOC molecules during decomposition process which time scale is involved. According to this new concept, energy maintains the VOC molecular structure in motion within a potential well. The VOC molecule is decomposed when it accumulates enough energy to overcome the potential well and to form radicals, which leads to the VOC decomposition homolitically via their excited states. A new approach was described using the decomposition rate constant. Based on this new theory, VOC can be decomposed at much lower energy level than the conventional energy balance concept, which was validated with the experimental study.