Formation of Solid Sulfur by Decomposition of Carbon Disulfide in the Oxygen-Lean Cold Plasma Environment

Conversion of carbon disulfide in air by non-thermal plasma

Carbon disulfide (CS2), a typical odorous organic sulfur compound, has adverse effects on human health and is a potential threat to the environment. In the present study, CS2 conversion in air by non-thermal plasma (NTP) was systematically investigated using a link tooth wheel-cylinder plasma reactor energized by a DC power supply. The results show that corona discharge is effective in removing CS2. The CS2 conversion increases with the increase of specific input energy (SIE). Both short-living (e.g. O, OH radicals) and long-living species contribute to the CS2 conversion, but the short-living species play a more important role. Both gaseous and solid products are formed during the conversion of CS2. Gaseous products mainly include CO, CO2, OCS, SO2, SO3 and H2SO4. The yields of CO and CO2 increase, the yields of OCS and SO2 follow bell curves while the sum yield of SO3 and H2SO4 remains constant as SIE increases. The solid products, consisting of CO3(2-), SO4(2-) and possible polymeric sulfur, deposit on the inner wall and electrodes of the plasma reactor.

Conversion of emitted dimethyl sulfide into eco-friendly species using low-temperature atmospheric argon micro-plasma system

A custom-made atmospheric argon micro-plasma system was employed to dissociate dimethyl sulfide (DMS) into a non-foul-smelling species. The proposed system takes the advantages of low energy requirement and non-thermal process with a constant flow rate at ambient condition. In the experiments, the compositions of DMS/argon plasma, the residual gaseous phases, and solid precipitates were respectively characterized using an optical emission spectrometer, various gas-phase analyzers, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. For 400 ppm DMS introduced into argon plasma with two pairs of electrodes (90 W), a complete decomposition of DMS was achieved; the DMS became converted into excited species such as C, C(2), H, and CH. When gaseous products were taken away from the treatment area, the excited species tended to recombine and form stable compounds or species, which formed as solid particles and gaseous phases. The solid deposition was likely formed by the agglomeration of C-, H-, and S-containing species that became deposited on the quartz inner tube. For the residual gaseous phases, low-molecular-weight segments mostly recombined into relatively thermodynamic stable species, such as hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon disulfide. The dissociation mechanism and treatment efficiency are discussed, and a treatment of converting DMS into H(2)-, CS(2)-, and H(2)S-dominant by-products is proposed.

Abatement of malodorants from pesticide factory in dielectric barrier discharges

Traditional odor control methods are limitative technically and economically for the abatement of odor from pesticide factory due to its toxicity and complicated composition. Non-thermal plasma (NTP) methods, typically characterized by high removal efficiency, energy yields and good economy, offer possible alternative solutions. This paper provides laboratory scale experimental data on the removal of simulated odors from pesticide factory with various humidity (0-0.8 vol%) and oxygen contents (0-21%) by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. Peak voltage and initial dimethylamine (DML) concentration are important factors that influence the DML removal efficiency and energy yield. The conversion of DML of 761 mg/m(3) reaches 100% at a peak voltage of 41.25 kV. Under the experiment conditions, the conversion of DML increases with an increase of oxygen contents. And the highest DML conversion was achieved with the gas stream containing 0.3% water. Simultaneously, the concentration of O(3) and OH radical in reactor was measured. Higher conversion, higher energy yield and fewer byproducts were found in mixed odor (DML+dimethyl sulfide (DMS)) treatment than that in single odor treatment. The energy yield is promoted from 2.13 to 5.20mg/kJ.

Influence of balance gas mixture on decomposition of dimethyl sulfide in a wire-cylinder pulse corona reactor

The influence of balance gas mixture on decomposition of dimethyl sulfide was investigated experimentally by a wire-cylinder pulse corona reactor at room temperature. A new type of high voltage pulse generator with a thyratron switch and a Blumlein pulse-forming network was used in the experiments. The experiments were conducted at a fixed pulse frequency of 100pps. The DMS decomposition efficiency as well as energy yield was investigated using varying oxygen concentration (0.6-21.0%), humidity (0-1.0%) and different balance gas (air, N(2), Ar). Breakdown voltage of DMS in Ar is lower than that of DMS in N(2), both of which are proportional to the gas pressures. The conversion of DMS in Ar is more efficient than that in N(2) and air at a fixed peak voltage. In addition, it is found that 5% oxygen is the optimum concentration in decomposition of DMS, due to higher conversion of DMS and relatively fewer yields of by products, such as O(3), NO(x) and SO(2). The highest DMS removal efficiency where the energy yield was 1.24mgkJ(-1) was achieved with the gas stream containing 0.3% H(2)O in air.