Ozone concentrations in water and air, and resulting disinfective properties, were measured following generation by either an ozone generator or a low-temperature dielectric barrier discharge plasma generator. In freshwater, ozone concentrations of 0.81 and 0.48 mg/L O3 were observed after the ozone and plasma generators had been operated for five minutes, respectively. Higher levels of dissolved O3 were attained more easily with the ozone generator. In seawater, both systems were capable of creating concentrations greater than 3.00 mg/L O3 after 5minutes of operation. Higher ozone levels were attained more easily in seawater than in freshwater. Rates of bacterial sterilization in seawater after three minutes were 96% and 88%, using the plasma and ozone generators, respectively. In freshwater, higher concentrations of ozone were released into the atmosphere by the ozone generator than by the plasma generator. In creating equivalent levels of dissolved ozone in freshwater, the plasma generator released 4.5 times more ozone into the atmosphere than did the ozone generator. This shows that ozone generators are more effective than plasma generators for creating ozonated water. For the same concentration of dissolved ozone in seawater, more ozone was released into the atmosphere using the ozone generator than using the plasma generator. Therefore, with regard to air pollution, plasma generators seem to be less expensive than ozone generators.

Dielectric discharges are an emerging technique in environmental pollutant degradation, which that are characterized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. For practical application of the plasma reactor, reactor that can handle large amounts of water are needed. Plasma research to date has focused on small-scale water treatment. This study was carried out basic study for scale-up of a single DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor. The degradation of N, N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO, indicator of the generation of OH radical) was used as a performance indicator of multi-plasma reactor. The experiments is divided into two parts: design parameters [effect of distance of single plasma module (1~14 cm), arrangement of ground electrode (single and multi), rector number (1~5) and power number (1~5)]; operation parameter [effect of applied voltage (60~220 V), air flow rate (1~5 L/min), electric conductivity of solution (1.4 μS/cm, deionized water)~18.8 mS/cm (addition of NaCl 10 g/L) and pH (5~9)]. Considering the electric stability of the plasma reactor, optimum spacing between the single plasma module was 2 cm. Multi discharge electrodes - single ground electrode array was selected. Combination of power 3-plasma module 5 was the optimal combination for maximum RNO degradation. The optimum 1st voltage and air flow rate for RNO degradation were 180 V and 4 L/min, respectively. The pH and conductivity of the solution was not influencing the RNO degradation.

We studied the ozone concentrations generated by low-temperature dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor after adding air and phytoplankton to control the ozone concentrations in seawater. We also examined the numbers of bacteria and Vibrio spp. after treatment using the plasma reactor. As the airflow rate was increased, more ozone was removed. Although marked variation in the ozone decrease was observed with and without airflow, the rate of ozone removal did not increase proportionately with the airflow rates. The ozone concentration decreased with increasing organic matter and time. The amount of organic matter seems to be an important factor decreasing the dissolved ozone concentration in liquid. The ozone concentration was 0.07, 0.32, 1.28, and 2.3 mg/L when operating the plasma reactor for 30, 60, 180, and 300 s, respectively; i.e., the ozone concentration increased with the reactor operating time. The initial numbers of bacteria and Vibrio spp. were 800 and 480 CFU/mL, respectively. After operating the plasma reactor at a flow rate of 6 L/min for 30 s, no bacteria or Vibrio spp. were detected. The disinfection effect of this plasma reactor seems to be superior to that of a conventional ozone generator.

Non-thermal plasma processing using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been investigated as an alternative method for the degradation of non-biodegradable organic compounds in wastewater. The active species such as OH radical, produced by the electrical discharge may play an important role in degrading organic compound in water. The degradation of N, N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO) was investigated as an indicator of the generation of OH radical. The DBD plasma reactor of this study consisted of a plasma reactor, recycling pump, power supply and reservoir. The effect of diameter of external reactor (15 ∼ 40 mm), width of ground electrode (2.5 ∼ 30 cm), shape (pipe, spring) and material (copper, stainless steel and titanium) of ground electrode, water circulation rate (3.1 ∼ 54.8 cm/s), air flow rate (0.5 ∼ 3.0 L/min) and ratio of packing material (0 ∼ 100 %) were evaluated. The experimental results showed that shape and materials of ground were not influenced the RNO degradation. Optimum diameter of external reactor, water circulation rate and air flow rate for RNO degradation were 30 mm, 25.4 cm/s and 4 L/min, respectively. Ground electrode length to get the maximum RNO degradation was 30 cm, which was same as reactor length. Filling up of glass beads decreased the RNO degradation. Among the experimented parameters, air flow rate was most important parameters which are influenced the decomposition of RNO.

A Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is shown in the present investigation to be effective of phenol degradation in the aqueous solutions in batch reactor with continuous air bubbling. Removal of phenol and effects of various parameters on the removal efficiency in the aqueous solution with high-voltage streamer discharge plasma are studied. The effect of 1st voltage (80 ~ 220 V), air flow rate (3 ~ 7 L/min), pH (3 ~ 11), electric conductivity of solution (4.16 μS/cm, deionized water) ~ 16.57 mS/cm (addition of NaCl 10 g/L) and initial phenol concentration (2.5 ~ 20.0 mg/L) were investigated. The observed results showed that phenol degradation was higher in the basic solution than that of the acidic. The optimum values on the 1st voltage and air flow rate for phenol degradation were 140 V and 6 L/min, respectively. It was considered that absorbance variation of UV254 of phenol solution can be use as an indirect indicator of change of the non-biodegradable organic compounds within the treated phenol solution. Electric conductivity was not influenced the phenol degradation. To obtain the removal efficiency of phenol and COD of phenol over 97 % (initial phenol concentration, 10.0 mg/L), 80 min and 120 min were need, respectively. Phenol and COD degradation showed a pseudo-first order kinetics.

This study investigated the degradation of N, N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO, indicator of the generation of OH radical) by using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The DBD plasma reactor of this study consisted of a quartz dielectric tube, titanium discharge (inner) and ground (outer) electrode. The effect of shape (rod, spring and pipe) of ground electrode, diameter (9 ～ 30 mm) of ground electrode of spring shape and inside diameter (4 ～ 13 mm) of quartz tube, electrode diameter (1 ～ 4 mm), electrode materials (SUS, Ti, iron, Cu and W), height difference of discharge and ground electrode (1 ～ 15.5 cm) and gas flow rate (1 ～ 7 L/min) were evaluated. The experimental results showed that shape of ground electrode and materials of ground and discharge electrode were not influenced the RNO degradation. The thinner the diameter of discharge and ground electrode, the higher RNO degradation rate observed. The effect of height gap of discharge between ground electrode on RNO degradation was not high within the experimented value. Among the experimented parameters, inside diameter of quartz tube and gas flow rate were most important parameters which are influenced the decomposition of RNO. Optimum inside diameter of quartz tube and gas flow rate were 7 mm and 4 L/min, respectively.