Destruction of ozone-depleting substances in a thermal plasma reactor

A two-dimensional numerical model of the PLASCON™ plasma reactor is used to investigate the destruction of ozone-depleting substances in the reactor. The model includes electromagnetic, fluid dynamic and chemical kinetic phenomena. Calculated temperature, flow and species concentration fields within the plasma torch, the injection manifold and the reaction tube are presented for the case of the destruction of CFC-12 (CF2Cl2). Conversion of CFC-12 to CFC-13 (CF3Cl), a more stable ozone-depleting substance, is found to occur in the region close to the injection manifold, and to be unaffected by reaction tube geometry. CFC-13 is predicted to be the dominant ozone-depleting substance in the exhaust gas. The predictions of the model are found to be in good agreement with measurements of the exhaust gas composition.