Performance of an air purifier using a MnOx/TiO2 catalyst-coated filter for the decomposition of aldehydes, VOCs and ozone: An experimental study in an actual smoking room

• Published in: Building and environment 2020-12, Vol.186, p.107247, Article 107247
• Main Authors: Kim, Minsu, Jung, Hyounduk, Park, Eunseuk, Jurng, Jongsoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetaldehyde; Air purification; Aldehydes; Benzene; Catalysts; Chemical synthesis; Coatings; Condensates; Decomposition; Fixed beds; Manganese; Organic compounds; Ozone; Room temperature; Smoke; Smoking; Titanium dioxide; Tobacco; Toluene; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107247

To develop an air purifier for a smoking room, an ozone (O3) decomposition manganese catalyst, capable of the oxidative decomposition of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in tobacco smoke, was applied in this study. The actual concentration of the total VOCs (TVOCs) that was measured in a smoking room was ~2,000 μg m−3, toluene, benzene, and acetaldehyde were also obtained in high concentrations. An O3 oxidative decomposition catalyst, MnOx/TiO2, synthesized by chemical vapor condensation (CVC) (MnOx/CVC-TiO2) was subjected to decomposition experiments, at room temperature (25 °C), utilizing acetaldehyde as the target material. The catalyst-coated filter was installed as a fixed bed, and after supplying O3, at a concentration of 25 ppm, it was confirmed that the catalyst had facilitated the complete decomposition of 10 ppm of acetaldehyde. Next, a decomposition experiment was conducted for TVOCs with a prototype smoke purifier, which employed the catalyst-coated filter, in a 1-m3 bench-scale chamber. The initial concentration of TVOC, 4,300 μg m−3, was reduced to 171 μg m−3 after 30 min (treatment efficiency, 96%). Finally, the treatment performance of the practical smoke purifier was tested in a real smoking room (61.9 m3). The initial TVOC concentration was reduced from 2,229 to 493 μg m−3 after 30 min with a removal efficiency of 80%. Moreover, ~70% of the acetaldehyde concentration was also decomposed. [Display omitted] •Prototype air purifier with an O3 decomposition MnOx-coated filter has been designed and manufactured.•The prototype was tested in the experimental chamber (1.0 m3) and the actual smoking room (61.9 m3).•The initial TVOC concentration was 2229 μgm−3, and 80% of it was removed after 30 min.