Optimization of a gas-liquid plasma reactor for water treatment applications: Design guidelines and electrical circuit considerations

To provide insights into the design, optimization, and scale up of plasma reactors for water treatment, the influences of discharge energy, grounded electrode size and position, and number of high voltage (HV) discharge points on the production of reactive species and the degradation of 1,4-dioxane and perfluorooctanoic acid in a gas-liquid electrical discharge plasma reactor were assessed. Discharge energy and plasma area largely control the treatment effectiveness. Increasing the number of discharge points lowers the voltage in the reactor and consequently the production rates of reactive species. Bench-scale findings apply directly to large volume systems, resulting in the highest contaminant removal rates using a single HV electrode and a grounded electrode spanning the entirety of the treatment zone.

Automated summary

This study assessed the influences of discharge energy, grounded electrode size and position, and number of high voltage discharge points on the production of reactive species and the degradation of pollutants in a gas-liquid electrical discharge plasma reactor. The results showed that discharge energy and plasma area greatly affect the treatment effectiveness, and increasing the number of discharge points reduces the production rates of reactive species. The findings suggest that using a single HV electrode and a grounded electrode spanning the treatment zone can result in the highest contaminant removal rates.