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

Symbios Technologies LLC的这一小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目推进了一种新型等离子体反应器方法，用于氧化未处理水中的有机物。这种方法有进一步的潜力来破坏有害物质，如农药，病原体，和一些无机物。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装置证明，这种反应器可以摧毁选定的有机化合物和病原体。然而，这个早期版本不能经济地按比例扩大，也不能以连续模式运行。该一期工程将建立一个新的设备设计在实验室规模，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，并调查选定的有机化合物的降解机制和动力学。这项研究的更广泛/商业影响是：一种经济有效的方法来处理原水，输入水，工业废水和受污染的饮用水;以及潜在的可移植性。在世界许多地方，水传播疾病正在发生，现场治疗的经济选择有限。我们的分析预测表明，这将是可行的，以处理大量的未经处理的水经济上的商业规模使用便携式系统。此外，该设备将与可再生能源兼容，并扩展应用于偏远地区，如军事基地和救灾行动。

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.