Non-thermal plasma processing methods have been shown to be effective for treating dilute concentrations of pollutants in large-volume atmospheric-pressure air streams. This paper presents results from basic experimental and theoretical studies aimed at identifying the main reactions responsible for the decomposition of four representative compounds: carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride, trichloroethylene and methanol. Each of these compounds is shown to be decomposed by a different plasma species: electrons, nitrogen atoms, oxygen radicals and positive ions, respectively. By understanding what plasma species is responsible for the decomposition of a pollutant molecule, it is possible to establish the electrical power requirements of the plasma reactor and help identify the initial reactions that lead to the subsequent process chemistry. These studies are essential for predicting the scaling of the process to commercial size units.

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This letter presents measurements of the specific energy consumption (eV per molecule) for electron-impact dissociation of N2 (e+N2→e+N+N) in a pulsed corona and an electron beam reactor. Measurements were done using 100 pm of NO in N2. In this mixture the removal of NO is dominated by the reduction reaction N+NO→N2+O. By measuring the specific energy consumption for reduction of NO, these experiments provide a good measure of the specific energy consumption for electron-impact dissociation of N2. The specific energy consumption using pulsed corona processing is 480 eV per dissociated N2 molecule. For electron beam processing, the specific energy consumption is 80 eV per dissociated N2 molecule.