Method of and apparatus for treating waste gas by irradiation with electron beam

An apparatus for treating waste gas flowing in a main duct by irradiation with electron beams, comprising:

• an electron beam irradiation chamber including at least one electron beam accelerator for irradiation of the interior of said chamber with electron beams;
• separating means for separating a part of the waste gas to be treated from said main duct and feeding the separated part of the waste gas into said electron beam irradiation chamber where said separated part of the waste gas is irradiated with electron beams thereby to form active species, and for feeding the separated and irradiated waste gas having said active species formed therein back to said waste gas main duct through which said waste gas to be treated is flowing, wherein the amount of the waste gas separated from the main duct as a percentage of the waste gas flowing in the main duct is defined by the following equation:
• ##EQU3## wherein D is the diameter of an electron beam irradiation chamber, that is, about 2.0 m or less corresponding to an accelerating voltage of about 500 KV or less, V is the flow rate of waste gas in the electron beam irradiation chamber of about 30 m/s or less, and Q (m.sup.3 /h) is the amount of waste gas to be treated flowing in the main duct;
• dispersing means for uniformly dispersing in the main duct separated and irradiating waste gas having said active species formed therein fed from said separating means, thereby changing noxious gaseous ingredients in said waste gas flowing in said main duct into the form of mist or dust by the action of said active species;
• and
• dust collector means for capturing the mist or dust into which noxious gaseous ingredients in the waste gas within the main duct have been changed by the action of said active species.