SBIR Phase I: Advancing a Novel Low-voltage Electric Arc Method to Oxidize Organic Material in Contaminated Water

这个来自Symbios Technologies LLC的小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目提出了一种新的等离子体反应器方法来氧化未经处理的水中的有机物。这种方法还具有进一步破坏农药、病原体和一些无机物等有害物质的潜力。一项涵盖这项技术的临时专利已经提交给美国专利局。在早期的研究中，一个概念验证批处理设备表明，该反应器可以摧毁选定的有机化合物和病原体。然而，这种早期版本既不能在经济上扩大规模，也不能以连续模式运行。这一期工程将建造一个实验室规模的新装置设计，能够连续处理水。然后将进行研究，以验证新反应器设计的有效性，并研究选定有机化合物的降解机理和动力学。这项研究的更广泛/更广泛的商业影响是：处理原水、输入水、工业废水和受污染的饮用水的经济有效的方法；以及潜在的可携带性。在世界许多地区，通过水传播的疾病持续发生，现场治疗的经济选择有限。我们的分析预测表明，使用便携式系统在商业规模上经济地处理大量未经处理的水是可行的。此外，该设备将与可再生能源兼容，并与军事基地和救灾行动等偏远地点的扩展应用相兼容。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project from Symbios Technologies LLC advances anovel plasma reactor method to oxidize organic matter in untreated water. This method has further potential todestroy harmful substances such as pesticides, pathogens, and some inorganics. A provisional patent covering thistechnology has been filed with the U.S. Patent office. In earlier research, a proof-of-concept batch apparatusdemonstrated that this reactor could destroy selected organic compounds and pathogens. However, this earlyversion could not be economically scaled up nor run in a continuous mode. This Phase I project will build a newapparatus design at a laboratory scale, capable of treating water continuously. Studies will then be conducted toverify the effectiveness of the new reactor design, and to investigate the mechanisms and kinetics of thedegradation of a selected organic compound.The broader/commercial impacts of this research are: an economical and effective method to treat rawwater, input water, industrial wastewater, and contaminated potable water; and potential portability to desiredlocations. There are several ongoing incidences of waterborne diseases in many parts of the world and economicaloptions for on-site treatment are limited. Our analytical projections indicate that it would be feasible to treat largequantities of untreated water economically on a commercial scale using a portable system. Furthermore, thisapparatus would be compatible with renewable energy sources and with extended applications to remote sites, suchas military bases and disaster relief operations.