Corona destruction: an innovative control technology for VOCs and air toxics

This paper discusses the work and results to date leading to the demonstration of the corona destruction process at pilot scale. The research effort in corona destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics has shown significant promise for providing a valuable contribution to critical U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and national goals of reducing the health effects associated with exposures to hazardous air pollutants. The corona destruction technology could be especially useful in future years in helping industry meet the residual risk requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Since 1988, EPA has conducted research in the area of corona destruction of VOCs and air toxics. EPA's interest in corona destruction of molecular species started with modeling of a point-plane reactor for destroying toxic organic compounds. EPA's goal is to develop a technology capable of controlling low concentration streams at low capital and operating costs. The purpose of this work is to develop an industrial scale corona reactor capable of efficiently and cost-effectively destroying VOCs and air toxics at ambient temperature and pressure. Results show that corona destruction is a promising control technology for many VOC-contaminated air streams, especially at low concentrations. Cost comparisons are presented for corona destruction and conventional control devices, carbon adsorption, catalytic incineration and thermal incineration.