Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Engineering Science

Program

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Supervisor

Dr. Madhumita B Ray

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) using UVLED is a promising technology for indoor air purification. PCO destroys most organic contaminants at low concentrations at near­ ambient temperatures. PCO needs a light energy sufficient to photoactivate semiconductor photocatalyst by supplying the catalyst's band gap energy, high surface area of photocatalyst, and an oxidizing agent such as O2. The most commonly used photocatalyst, Ti0 2 is excellent in breaking down wide variety of organic compounds. The minimal pressure drop, low power consumption, potentially long service life, and low maintenance are also additional factors which make PCO an efficient method for indoor air applications. Ultra Violet Light Emitting Diode (UVLED) is a new concept in the field of PCO which has several advantages over conventional UV light sources. Limited research has been conducted using UVLED PCO for air treatment. This study demonstrated the potential application of UVLED for the removal of VOCs (toluene and xylene) from indoor air under different operating conditions including flow rate, types of catalysts, LED intensity, and humidity. This study explored the feasibility of UVLED application in pilot scale room air cleaner.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.