SBIR Phase I: On demand Plasma Production of Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是推进新消毒设备的开发，这将减少与食物和水有关的疾病的数量。 该项目将减少传染病的传播，特别是在医院、疗养院、农场和兽医诊所。这些设备将用于仅使用水和电来产生本地按需的基于过氧化氢的食品级消毒剂。该消毒剂将用于清洗新鲜农产品和即食食品、食品包装和商业制冰机，其中常规消毒剂不适用于合理浓度，因为它们会留下残留物，包括有害的副产品和强烈的难闻气味。该设备还将用于饮用水、制冰机和循环水的直接消毒。这些设备将特别适用于偏远地区的水消毒，在那里可以使用当地和/或可再生能源发电。 按需分散式水消毒可用于偏远地区和影响集中式清洁水供应的灾害。SBIR一期项目利用水中低能放电的特性，高效产生和重组羟基自由基，从而以低能耗生产过氧化氢。技术开发包括：1）在受控水流中放置电极; 2）优化电源; 3）开发具有适当局部压力控制的水循环系统; 4）开发有效使用处理过的水，以最大限度地减少总耗电量。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to advance the development of new disinfection devices that will reduce the number of food- and water-related illnesses. This project will reduce spreading of infectious diseases, particularly in hospitals, nursing homes, farms, and veterinary clinics. The devices will be used to generate locally on-demand hydrogen-peroxide-based food-grade disinfectant using only water and electricity. The disinfectant will be used during the washing of fresh produce and ready-to-eat food, food packaging, and commercial ice-makers, where conventional disinfectants are not applicable in reasonable concentrations because they would leave residuals, including harmful byproducts and a strong unpleasant odor. The devices will also be used for the direct disinfection of drinking water, ice-makers, and recycled water. The devices will be especially useful for water disinfection in remote locations, where electricity can be generated using local and/or renewable energy sources. On-demand decentralized water disinfection can be useful in remote locations and disasters affecting centralized clean water supplies.This SBIR Phase I project utilizes properties of low-energy electric discharge in water for efficient generation and recombination of hydroxyl radicals that result in the production of hydrogen peroxide with low energy consumption. The technology development includes: 1) Positioning of electrodes in a controlled water stream; 2) Optimization of the power supply; 3) Development of a water circulation system with appropriate local pressure control; 4) Development of an efficient use of the treated water to minimize total consumption of electricity. Verification and validation will take place through standard methods to optimize the system’s disinfection efficiency.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.