Photocatalytic Decomposition of Toluene by a Cylindrical UV Reactor with Helically Installed TiO₂-Coated Perforated Planes

Abstract

The photocatalytic decomposition characteristics of toluene by a cylindrical UV reactor with helically installed TiO₂-coated perforated planes were investigated. The reactor was also equipped with UV_254+185 nm lamps in its front half and UV_254 nm lamps in its rear half. The inserted TiO₂-coated perforated planes increased the TiO₂ coated area by about 2.2 times compared to that of simple TiO₂-coated cylindrical reactor walls. Meanwhile, UV_254 nm lamps reduced more than 95% of the residual ozone produced by UV_254+185 nm lamps. Under the linear velocity ranging from 1.3 m/min to 2.6 m/min, the removal of toluene was up to 95% at an inlet toluene concentration of 94.3 mg/m³. Based on the inlet toluene load of 968 g/m³ per day, the maximum capacity of toluene elimination was obtained to be 628 g/m³ per day. The efficient decomposition of toluene in our custom-designed UV reactor was attributed to the synergistic effect of photochemical oxidation by ozone and photocatalytic oxidation by TiO₂ photocatalysts.