Photocatalytic reactor
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsBrian L. Bischoff, Douglas E. Fain, John A. D. Stockdale
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Abstract
A photocatalytic reactor for processing selected reactants from a fluid medium comprising at least one permeable photocatalytic membrane having a photocatalytic material. The material forms an area of chemically active sites when illuminated by light at selected wavelengths. When the fluid medium is passed through the illuminated membrane, the reactants are processed at these sites separating the processed fluid from the unprocessed fluid. A light source is provided and a light transmitting means, including an optical fiber, for transmitting light from the light source to the membrane.
Claims15
A photocatalytic reactor for processing selected reactants from a fluid medium comprising:
- at least one permeable tubular photocatalytic membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface and formed of a photocatalytic material, said material forming chemically active sites on said inner surface at which processing of said selected reactants occurs upon the passing of at least a portion of said fluid medium radially through said membrane when said inner surface of said membrane is illuminated by light at selected wavelengths corresponding to the formation of said active sites;
- a light source which emits light at said selected wavelengths;
- a light transmitting means including an optical fiber cable for transmitting light from said light source to said inner surface of said membrane at said selected wavelengths to illuminate said inner surface;
- an inlet line in fluid communication with said fluid medium and said membrane;
- means for continually passing said fluid medium axially through said inlet line and said membrane;
- a housing enclosing said membrane defining a collection chamber for collecting said processed portion of said fluid medium which passes radially through said membrane, said housing having an outlet line through which said processed portion of said fluid medium exits said housing;
- and
- an exhaust line through which the remaining unprocessed portion of said fluid medium exits said membrane after passing axially therethrough.
A photocatalytic reactor for processing selected reactants from a fluid medium comprising:
- at least one permeable tubular photocatalytic membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface and formed of an inorganic porous support having a coating disposed on said inner surface formed of a photocatalytic material, said material forming chemically active sites on said inner surface at which processing of said selected reactants occurs upon the passing of said fluid medium radially through said membrane when said inner surface is illuminated by light at selected wavelengths corresponding to the formation of said active sites;
- a light source which emits light at said selected wavelengths;
- a light transmitting means including an optical fiber cable for transmitting light from said light source to said inner surface of said membrane at said selected wavelengths to illuminate said inner surface;
- an inlet line in fluid communication with said fluid medium and said membrane;
- means for continually passing said fluid medium axially through said inlet line and said membrane;
- a housing enclosing said membrane defining a collection chamber for collecting said processed portion of said fluid medium which passes radially through said membrane, said housing having an outlet line through which said processed portion of said fluid medium exits said housing;
- and
- an exhaust line through which the remaining unprocessed portion of said fluid medium exits said membrane after passing axially therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.