Application of an adsorptive-thermocatalytic process for BTX removal from polluted air flow

Background: zero valent iron and copper oxide nanoparticles (30-60 nm) were coated on a bed of natural zeolite(clinoptilolite) with 1-2 mm grains and arranged as a dual filter in a stainless steel cylindrical reactor (i.d 4.5 cm andl = 30 cm) to investigating the coated bed removal efficiency for btx. the experiments were conducted in threesteps. first, with an air flow of 1.5 l/min and temperature range of 38 (ambient temperature) to 600°c the btxremoval and mineralization was surveyed. then, in an optimized temperature the effect of flow rate and pollutionloading rate were surveyed on btx removal.results: the btx removal at 300 and 400°c were respectively up to 87.47% and 94.03%. also in these temperaturesrespectively 37.21% and 90.42% of btx mineralization were achieved. in the retention times of 14.1 s and 7.05 s,respectively 96.18% and 78.42% of btx was removed.conclusions: according to the results, this adsorptive-thermocatalytic process with using clinoptilolite as anadsorbent bed and combined fe0 and cu2o nanoparticles as catalysts can be an efficient and competitive processin the condition of high flow rate and high pollution loading rate with an adequate process temperature of 350°c.