Destruction nonthermal

The main goal of destructive methods is to conveniently alter the physicochemical characteristics of the spent material before its final disposal. These processes can be classified as thermal and nonthermal processes. 

The second nonthermal explosion limit is virtually independent of the vessel diameter. If the partial pressure of H2 is decreased, restoration of the original total pressure by addition of an inert gas such as argon will prevent a lowering of the limit. Behavior of this nature is characteristic of termination of chains in the gas phase. Since production of branching chains involves binary encounters, whereas destruction of propagators in the gas phase depends, in almost all cases, upon ternary collisions, the efficiency of chain destruction relative to that of chain production increases with increasing total pressure. A pressure P2 is thus reached, where the two processes are near balance, and the rate of reaction is quickly reduced to the relatively low... 

Nonthermal Destruction Three processes for nonthermal destruction of PCB have been applied (a) chemical, (b) UV radiation, and (c) biological. These less-violent procedures have the potential advantage of stripping the chlorines from the PCB molecule leaving unchlorinated biphenyl and achieving a decontamination of originally PCB-contaminated oil. Thus, the oil can be reused. (Nonthermal methods are not very effective for PCB concentrations >>10,000 mg/kg.)... 

Harling, A.M., Kim, H.H., Futamura, S. and Whitehead, J.C. (2007). Temperature dependence of plasma-catalysis using a nonthermal, atmospheric pressure packed bed the destruction of benzene and toluene. J. Phys. Chem. C, 111, pp. 5090-5095. 

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