Decomposition of volatile organic compounds using corona discharge plasma technology.

The application of corona plasma technology, as a tool in treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is systematically discussed in the present paper. This review introduces the principle of corona discharge, the characteristics of plasma, emphasis on the characteristic of various corona plasma reactors. Through summarizing the main features of corona plasma reactors, this paper provides a brief background to different power sources and reactor configurations and their application to VOCs treatment design. Considering chlorinated compounds, benzene series, and sulfur compounds, this paper reveals the probable mechanism of corona plasma in VOCs degradation. Additionally, the effects of numerous technical parameters, such as the reactor structure, the shape and materials of electrode, humidity are analyzed comprehensively. The product distribution, the energy efficiency, economic benefits are invoked as factors to evaluate the performance of VOCs degradation. Finally, status and advantages of corona plasma used in practical application are briefly introduced. The impact of this review is tantamount to illustrate the enormous potential of the coronal plasma in VOCs treatment and identify the future of that in the relevant areas. This paper comprehensively describes the principle, characteristics, research progress and engineering application examples of the degradation of volatile organics by corona discharge plasma, so that readers can fully understand the degradation of volatile organics by corona discharge plasma and provide theoretical basis for the industrial application of the degradation of volatile organics by corona discharge plasma.