Continuous reduction of toluene vapours from the contaminated gas stream in a fluidised bed photoreactor

Continuous reduction of toluene vapours in a gas fluidised bed photoreactor was studied using TiO₂-coated activated carbon (AC/TiO₂) particles as the fluidising media. The toluene vapour concentration before treatment was in the range between 200 and 1000 ppm and was relatively high compared to previous similar research works. The experimental results showed that the effective toluene reduction duration (according to the Standards of Permissible Exposure Limits of Toluene in Taiwan) was improved for approximately 130-137% using AC/TiO₂ particles as the fluidising media compared to that using AC particles as the fluidising media in the fluidised bed photoreactor with the gas flow rate between 3 and 15 L/min. When the gas stream with the toluene vapour concentration 200 ppm, the relative humidity 30% and the flow rate 3 L/min was deducted in the fluidised bed photoreactor using AC/TiO₂ particles as the fluidising media, the conditioned gas could pass the toluene permissible exposure limit in Taiwan for more than 11 h.