Application of Electron Beam Systems for Environmental Applications

William (Bill) J. Cooper

University of California, Irvine

We have studied the application of the electron beam process for the treatment of a number of regulated and non-regulated compounds. Our initial studies were on a fixed facility that used a 1.5 MeV 75 kW system to treat up to 150 gallons a minute. We also built a mobile, 500 keV, 20 kW, system for applications on-site. In addition to taking this to a number of sites in the US, it was also transported to Germany four times for on-site demonstrations. The process has proven to be the most efficient for generating hydroxy radicals (•OH) of any advanced oxidation process. More recently we have focused on the destruction of pharmaceutical compounds in water and have done more basic research on evaluating reaction at constants and reaction by-products. Probably the most significant recent advance is in the reduction of the capital cost for E Beam systems.