Apparatus for photocatalytic treatment of liquids

Abstract

Apparatus for decontaminating a contaminated fluid by using photocatalytic particles. The apparatus includes a reactor tank for holding a slurry of the contaminated fluid and the photocatalytic particles ultraviolet light irradiates the surface of the slurry, thereby activating the photocatalytic properties of the particles. Stirring blades for continuously agitate the irradiated fluid surface maintaining the particles in a suspended state within the fluid. A cross flow filter is used for separating the fluid from the semiconductor powder after the decomposition reaction is ended. The cross flow filter is occasionally back flushed to remove any caked semiconductor powder. The semiconductor powder may be recirculated back to the tank for reuse, or may be stored for future use. A series of reactor tanks may be used to gradually decompose a chemical in the fluid. The fluid may be pretreated to remove certain metal ions which interfere with the photocatalytic process. Such pretreatment may be accomplished by dispersing semiconductor particles within the fluid, which particles adsorb ions or photodeposit the metal as the free metal or its insoluble oxide or hydroxide, and then removing the semiconductor particles together with the adsorbed metal ions/oxides/hydroxide/free metal from the fluid.