Method and apparatus for purging unwanted substances from air

A method for purging unwanted substances from air, the method comprising:

• providing apparatus comprising:
• a fumehood comprising a protective enclosure for safely handling hazardous substances, and an exhaust vent for venting exhaust air from the protective enclosure of the fumehood;
• and
• an air treatment device for purging unwanted substances from the exhaust air of the fumehood, the air treatment device comprising:
• a non-thermal plasma reactor stage comprising an air inlet for receiving the air to be treated in the non-thermal plasma reactor stage, a plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units for dividing the air to be treated into a plurality of chambers and simultaneously treating the air in each of the plurality of chambers, and an air outlet for exhausting the treated air from the non-thermal plasma reactor stage;
• wherein each of the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units comprises a dielectric barrier discharge construction, wherein the dielectric barrier discharge construction comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, with the first electrode of one of the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units being separated by a dielectric plate from the second electrode of the same one of the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units, and further wherein the air within one of the non-thermal plasma reactor units is separated from the air within another of the non-thermal plasma reactor units;
• wherein the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units are assembled together in parallel so as to form a collective cross-section equal in size to the air inlet of the non-thermal plasma reactor stage and equal in size to the air outlet of the non-thermal plasma reactor stage, and further wherein the air entering the air inlet is divided between the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units;
• and
• a catalyst stage, wherein the catalyst stage is formed separately from the non-thermal plasma reactor stage and located downstream from the non-thermal plasma reactor stage;
• and
• operating the fumehood, wherein operating the fumehood comprises:
• passing the exhaust air of the fumehood through the non-thermal plasma reactor stage of the air treatment device, wherein the air is passed through the air inlet, divided between the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units and passed out the air outlet, with the divided air simultaneously passing through the plurality of separate non-thermal plasma reactor units so as to provide treated exhaust air;
• and
• passing the treated exhaust air through the catalyst stage.