Summary:
Researchers from a Spanish public research organization have developed a versatile photoreactor for air treatment or water. The reactor allows to work continuously 24 hours a day using as much solar radiation as artificial and supported or suspended photocatalysts and adapts to photocatalysts of multiple geometries and dimensions, as well as facilitating the irradiation of opaque materials. They seek for license or commercial agreement.
Description:
Heterogeneous photocatalysis allows both decontamination as a disinfectant of currents gaseous, indoor and effluent environments and is based on irradiating the surface of a semiconductor to be generate electron-hole pairs that will oxidation-reduction reactions with pollutants adsorbed on its surface.
Often, especially for the air treatment, are required supported catalysts. The substrate must combine surface and optical properties with chemical and physical resistance, and determines the design of the photocatalytic reactors. The photocatalytic reactor offered is simple and combines good irradiation conditions and flow rate. It consists of two concentric tubes transparent, irradiated from the inside by a fluorescent lamp and from the outside by solar radiation captured by a CPC (Compound Parabolic Collector); in the interanular the potocatalyst is placed. The designed polygon-shaped structures that make it possible to build, from single units, versatile modules in shape and length, easy to assemble, irradiate and replace that allow to have a modular and well distributed photocatalyst.
These features allow 24-hour operation per day, use as photocatalytic support adsorbent but opaque materials to the radiation -which facilitates the retention of possible by-products and prolong the life of the catalyst in case of deactivation-, and operate in semi-continuous mode by alternating cycles of photocatalytic activity and regeneration by washing. This system has been successfully tested in the elimination of H2S and other VOCs present in the air from sewage treatment plants.
For this technology, the Spanish R&D institution is looking to establish license or commercial agreements with technical cooperation.
Type (e.g. company, R&D institution…), field of industry and Role of Partner Sought:
For this technology, the Spanish R&D institution is looking to establish license or commercial agreements with technical cooperation.
In relation to the use of the patent, rather under a license agreement or under the commercial agreement, the most appropriate partner would be some manufacturer that generates bad odors of penetrating compounds and susceptible to be treated by photocatalysis.
Stage of Development:
Under development/lab tested
Comments Regarding Stage of Development:
Pilot plant test. It has already been tested in a wastewater treatment plant (hydrogen sulfide emission).
IPR Status:
Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted
External code:
TOES20200717005
