Preparation of a Gas Diffusion Electrode by Ozone Gas Pretreatment and an Ion-exchange Method

Surface oxidation using ozone gas, produced by an electrolytic ozone generator, was applied for preparation of a gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) for an electrochemical energy conversion system. An uncatalyzed carbon sheet containing poly(tetrafluoroethylene) binder was first placed into contact with ozone gas to form active functional groups on the surface of the carbon; then ion-exchange between a weakly bound hydrogen of the functional groups and a platinum cation complex was performed. A GDE having highly dispersed particles of a platinum metal deposited on a porous carbon sheet ws developed by this method. The fuel cell using this GDE showed high performance.     

Uses of Ozone in a Three-Phase System for Water Treatment: Ozone Adsorption

A new technique of using ozone for water treatment is presented. This new technique consists of using a three-step-process composed firstly of ozone adsorption on an appropriate adsorbent, secondly water treatment, and thirdly regeneration of the adsorbent. Results regarding ozone adsorption (the first step) are presented in this paper. Different types of silica gel and a type of TiO₂ have been tested for ozone adsorption. It was found that the physical characteristics of the silica gel affect its capacity for ozone. Titanium dioxide has shown ozone decomposition instead of adsorption as it contains Lewis acid sites. An exponential decrease of the silica gel capacity with its moisture content has been found. Linear isotherms in the range of ozone concentrations less than 100?g/m³ NTP have been found. A particle diffusion model with linear equilibrium isotherm has been used to model the breakthrough curves in fixed bed columns.     

The Preozonation of Phenolic Aqueous Solution and Its Effect on the Improvement of Coagulation Treatment

Phenolic solutions are difficult to treat with coagulation processes because phenol is well soluble in water. However, with suitable preozonation, the ozonized organic components can be removed more effectively by coagulation processes. In order to avoid excessive preozonation, a good control on the degree of preozonation is crucial for practical applications. The degree of preozonation of phenolic solution was evaluated by measuring the phenol decomposition rate, ADMI value and ozone outlet concentration during the ozonation. Three characteristic times were observed, namely (1) ADMI value reaches the peak value during preozonation, (2) the ozone outlet concentration starts increasing, and (3) the ADMI value reaches the discharge standard (500 value, EPA Taiwan). These characteristic times provide the useful means as real-time control parameters on the extent of preozonation. The results of HPLC and GPC show that phenol is almost completely decomposed after 43?min of preozonation. The major components after preozonation are oxalic acid and coupling compounds. The preozonized solution, containing phenol decomposition products, was then subjected to coagulation treatments. The coagulation behavior of preozonized solution is dependent on the extent of preozonation. Three types of coagulant were investigated, namely alum, ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and poly aluminum chloride (PAC). Both PAC and FeCl₃ are effective coagulants for COD removal. As an example, phenol solution (initial phenol concentration=300?mg/L, C _{O 3},i=20?mg/L) was preozonized for 50 minutes, followed by FeCl₃ coagulation treatment. After preozonation and coagulation processes, the total COD and ADMI removal rates are as high as 70% and 80%, respectively. Most of the coupling compounds and oxalic acid are removed by the coagulant.     

Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of Ozonation Processes in a Downstream Static Mixer with Sieve Plates

New standards for drinking water disinfection require better optimization of the ozonation stage on the basis of the concentration×contact time (CT) concept, and production of ozone from pure oxygen at higher concentrations presumes application of the new type of contactors operating efficiently at lower gas/liquid volumetric ratios. One possible construction to meet these requirements is a downstream static mixer with sieve plates. At higher flow rates of liquid in this mixer, the interfacial area may reach 10,000m²/m³ at energy dissipation 1–5kW/m³. Due to the very intensive hydrodynamic regime the ozone utilization degree in the gas phase reaches 98–100% in natural lake water ozonation. Mathematical simulation of lake water ozonation in this mixer indicated that the process proceeds mostly in the diffusion or kinetic regime depending on the operating parameters. The dominating parameters besides the sieve geometry are the liquid flow rate in the holes of the sieves and the volumetric liquid/gas ratio.     

Incidence of an Ozonation Stage on the Treatment of Cherry Stillage by Activated Sludge

This article presents a laboratory study of the ozonation of diluted cherry stillage, a high-strength wastewater. Influence of variables, kinetics, and the effects of an ozonation stage coupled with the biological treatment by activated sludge are addressed. Single activated sludge processing was shown effective to remove biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) but polyphenols were reduced to a lesser extent. On the other hand, direct wastewater ozonation did not reduce COD and total organic carbon (TOC) appreciably, and foaming problems were experienced when a high gas flow rate was applied. However, polyphenols and UV₂₅₄ absorbance decreased substantially by means of ozonation. To best achieve complete cherry stillage purification, two ways of coupling ozonation with activated sludge are proposed. Ozonation prior to activated sludge is advised for high-concentration wastewater to reduce polyphenol concentration, thus removing inhibiting effects. For wastewater with low polyphenol concentration the sequence activated sludge–ozonation–activated sludge is preferred to enhance the overall process performance in terms of oxidation efficiency and sludge settling.     

Seawater Ozonation of Bacillus subtilis Spores: Implications for the Use of Ozone in Ballast Water Treatment

The potential of ozone for disinfection of ships’ ballast water was investigated using Bacillus subtilis spores as an indicator. The effects of pH, presence of iron, and bacterial strain on disinfection efficacy in seawater, under simulated ballast conditions, were investigated. Ozone dosages of 9 mg/L (pH 7) and 14 mg/L (pH 8.2) and 24 h contact achieved a 4-log inactivation with the various oxidant residuals formed. Iron surface at a ratio to water of 9 m²/m³ impaired the oxidant residuals and the disinfection of spores. Different strains of B. subtilis resulted in different CT values. Ozone does not seem to be a good choice for the control of spore-forming organisms in ballast water, but may be suitable for the control of other species.     

Ozonation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water Solution

The degradation of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): benzo[a]pyrene (BAP), chrysene (CHR), and fluorene (FLU) in aqueous solution using ozone was investigated. The influence of pH of the reaction mixture, ozone concentration, and the presence of a radical scavenger on the reaction rate was determined. The highest rate of PAHs disappearance was achieved in acidic solutions. The radical scavenger, tert-butanol, effectively inhibited the rate of PAHs destruction. The rate constants of direct reaction of PAHs with ozone were calculated and they were equal to (3.32 ± 0.21) × 10⁴; (1.10 ± 0.15) × 10⁴ and 44.8 ± 1.1 M^?1s^?1 for BAP, CHR, and FLU, respectively. The contributions of direct ozonolysis, and radical reaction to PAHs oxidation in ozonation processes, were evaluated.     

Investigation of Ozone Loss Rate Influenced by the Surface Material of a Discharge Chamber

Decay characteristics of ozone concentration in oxygen in a chamber with three types of wall material (stainless steel, copper, and aluminum) are measured using the 254 nm photoabsorption method. Effective lifetimes of ozone are estimated from decay curves of ozone concentration. These values depend on the wall material: They are largest for stainless steel and smallest for aluminum. The relationship between effective lifetime and gas pressure is investigated precisely to determine three values. The equivalent diffusion coefficient of ozone in oxygen and the reflection coefficient of ozone at the wall correspond to the loss rate of ozone at the wall. The collisional loss (quenching) rate coefficient of ozone in oxygen is also determined.     

Formation of Bromate Ion Through a Radical Pathway in a Continuous Flow Reactor

The contribution of ozone and hydroxyl radical to the formation of bromate ion was investigated in a continuous flow reactor. Experiments were conducted under a wide range of ozone dose (0.7 ～ 3.8 mgL), pH (6.5 ～ 8.5), and t-butanol concentration (0 ～ 0.5 mM). The formation of bromate ion was found to depend on radical reaction pathway, because the amount of bromate ion formed increased with pH and decreased with t-butanol, a radical scavenger, even when dissolved ozone concentrations were almost the same. In fact, the amount of bromate ion formed was reduced by 90% in the presence of t-butanol. Furthermore, the formation of bromate ion occurred even when dissolved ozone was not significantly detected in the presence of organic matter (TOC of 1 mgCL). The second-order reaction rate constant of hydroxyl radical with bromide ion, k _HO,Br^? of 1.7 × 10⁹ (M^?1s^?1), was obtained on the assumption that the reactions of bromide ion and t-butanol with hydroxyl radical were competitive with each other in the presence of t-butanol and that the formation of bromate ion depended on the reaction of bromide ion with hydroxyl radical. Therefore, it is concluded that the reaction of bromide ion with hydroxyl radical dominated in the overall reaction from bromide ion to bromate ion in the continuous flow reactor.     

Catalytic Decomposition of Airborne Ozone by MnCO3 and its Mechanism

Ozone is an ubiquitous air pollutant. To develop a new kind of catalyst besides the usually used MnO₂ for ozone decomposition, the sub-micrometer spherical MnCO₃ was prepared via a facile co-precipitation method without additive agents at room temperature and characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, TGA, XPS and H₂-TPR. As-prepared MnCO₃ showed better catalytic activity for ozone decomposition than that of α-MnO₂, which is frequently studied in the literature. Amorphous MnO_x was found on the MnCO₃ surface, and it further formed when MnCO₃ was exposed to the ozone flow. The MnO_x layer is regarded as the active component in the catalytic ozone decomposition and crystalline MnCO₃ serves as the support-stabilizing MnO_x surface phase. Then MnCO₃ powder was supported on non-woven fabrics through a simple and low-cost impregnation method. The MnCO₃-based non-woven fabrics exhibited 100% ozone conversion over 8 days at 25 °C with inlet ozone concentration 14 ppm and space velocity 42,000 h^?1. This provides an alternative material for ozone-induced air cleaning.