Revolutionary Pulsed Power Corona Technology for air pollution treatment A journey from scientific research toward practical industrial applications

By: Rienk Geertsma Date: March 2013 Organisation: HMVT By combining their strengths, Oranjewoud/HMVT, a Dutch environmental company and the Technical

University of Eindhoven are the first to succeed in creating the next generation air treatment systems based

upon “high frequency – pulsed -” cold plasma.

Throughout history man has attempted and succeeded to copy nature’s secrets. From the healing substances

hidden within the tropical rainforests to the aero dynamical forms of our aquatic vertebrates. One of the most

powerful natural phenomena has yet to be fully understood: lightning. And yes, man has also attempted to

simulate lightning. During an electrostatic discharge, such as a lightning flash, the affected atmospheric

molecules become electrically overstressed. The diatomic oxygen molecules are split, and then recombine to

form ozone (O3), which is unstable and/or reacts with metals and organic matter. Air pollution consists more

often of volatile organic carbon (VOC). You may say that every time lightning strikes, mother nature is purifying

its own air.

Unfortunately, when looking at the distribution of lightning around the globe, the least lightning strikes are

registered there where the largest concentration of potential industrial emissions are present. There is no

button somewhere to ‘induce’ a the lightning flash when needed. The question then rises: “how can we

harness the powers of this magnificent phenomena and mould it to such a form that we can use it when, where

and how we want?”

The answer was found in the possibilities within Corona (cold) Plasma. After decades of research and multiple

application areas, from halogen lighting to textile surface treatment, the step was made to air purification. A

number of companies around the world have developed air purification systems based on cold plasma

technology. Its main application within odour abatement and fine-dust filtration. You may also find small-scale

corona installations in restaurant kitchens to treat odours. Oranjewoud/HMVT, expert in environmental

consultancy and supplier of technical solutions for soil-, water- and air treatment has combined its forces with

the Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) to create a new and improved air treatment system based upon

high frequency pulsed cold plasma technology.

“Where other companies have reached their limits using cold plasma mainly for odour abatement, we have

succeeded in lifting this technology to a next level of air treatment systems: with our pulsed power corona

systems we are able to be 10 times more efficient then current systems. Also, we have gone further than odour

abatement by successfully treating more difficult to ‘crack’ substances like VOC’s, NOx, H2S and NH3. With our

direct pulsed cold plasma systems, a powerful plasma field is created where radicals, ions and electrons are

waiting to react with pollutant substances in air emission”. This technique is designed for industrial purposes

with high-flows and can be used as end of pipe solution or as pre-treatment step to unburden an existing air-

treatment system.

In our presentation during the Atmos ‘Fair, we will take you on a journey where we will shortly look into the

core of pulsed power corona plasma technology but where we mainly want to present to you our first

astonishing air emission treatment field results and experiences within different industrial areas.

Welcome to the next generation of air treatment systems.