Formaldehyde degradation by UV/TiO₂/O₃ process using continuous flow mode

The degradation of formaldehyde gas was studied using UV/TiO₂/O₃ process under the condition of continuous flow mode. The effects of humidity, initial formaldehyde concentration, residence time and ozone adding amount on degradation of formaldehyde gas were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the combination of ozonation with photocatalytic oxidation on the degradation of formaldehyde showed a synergetic action, e.g., it could considerably increase decomposing of formaldehyde. The degradation efficiency of formaldehyde was between 73.6% and 79.4% while the initial concentration in the range of 1.84-24 mg/m³ by O₃/TiO₂/UV process. The optimal humidity was about 50% in UV/TiO₂/O₃ processs and degradation of formaldehyde increases from 39.0% to 94.1% when the ozone content increased from 0 to 141 mg/m³. Furthermore, the kinetics of formaldehyde degradation reaction could be described by Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The rate constant k of 46.72 mg/(m³-min) and Langmuir adsorption coefficient K of 0.0268 m³/mg were obtained.