Continuous-flow photo-reactor for the photocatalytic destruction of water soluble ethers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368787-A1
Application number	US-201615179405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	Jun 10, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for achieving degradation of ethers.

First claim

1 . A photocatalytic system, comprising a series of photoreactors, wherein the series of photoreactors comprise continuous flow photoreactors, and wherein the continuous flow photoreactors comprise a glass substance coated with a catalyst.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is TiO 2 .

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass substance substantially fills the continuous flow photoreactors.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalytic system is oxygenated.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the photocatalytic system is oxygenated with silicone tubing.

6 . A photocatalytic system, comprising at least two photoreactors, wherein the at least two photoreactors are connected in parallel, and wherein the continuous flow photoreactors comprise a glass substance coated with a catalyst.

7 . The photocatalytic system of claim 6 , wherein the at least two photoreactors are continuous flow photoreactors.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the catalyst is TiO2.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the glass substance comprises a plurality of glass beads.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the photocatalytic system is oxygenated.

11 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the photocatalytic system is oxygenated with silicone tubing.

12 . A method for achieving degradation of ethers, comprising exposing an ether-containing starting material to an ultraviolet (UV) light source to thereby achieve degradation of ethers.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the UV light source comprises fluorescent light.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the UV light source comprises sunlight.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising exposing the ether-containing starting material in an oxygenated system.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the oxygenated system comprises silicone tubing.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising pumping the ether-containing starting material through a tube.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the tubing comprises a plurality of glass beads, and wherein the glass beads are coated with a catalyst.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the catalyst is TiO 2 .

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the ether is at least one of tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), tert-Amyl methyl ether (TAME), and dioxane.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Barreto Reynaldo D

Classifications

• B01J2219/00835

  Comprising catalytically active material · CPC title

• C02F2101/322

  Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene · CPC title

• Y02W10/37

  using solar energy · CPC title

• B01J2219/00792

  One or more tube-shaped elements · CPC title

• C02F2305/10

  Photocatalysts · CPC title