Degradation of gaseous trichloroethylene over a thin-film TiO2 photocatalyst

Photocatalytic degradation (PCD) of gaseous trichloroethylene (TCE) over thin-film TiO(2) was examined in a continuous flow system with regard to the mixing condition of the baffle, the inlet concentration of TCE, and the face velocity of the gas flow. The effect of mixing with the baffle on the PCD rate of TCE was found to be positive under conditions of a simultaneous low inlet concentration and a high face velocity. It was found that the effect of mixing could be improved by installation of a baffle, based on the tanks-in-series and dispersion models using residence time distribution (RTD) data in the existence of a baffle. The baffles exhibited continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) behavior in the reactor. The PCD rate continuously increased linearly with the TCE inlet concentration, regardless of the tendency of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetics. The face velocity also increased the PCD rate. In the long run, it could be concluded that the PCD rate of WE may be controlled by mass transfer.