Solar Photocatalytic Detoxification of Rocket Test Facility Waste Water with a Non Concentrating Tubular Receiver (NCTR) Pilot Plant

Abstract

A new type of non concentrating tubular receiver (NCTR) for solar photocatalytic applications is presented and the decontamination efficiency is compared with the well known CPC type technology. The NCTR receiver consists mainly of Borosilicate type glass tubes in a compact arrangement without any reflector material. Only cheap, rugged and simple parts are used for the construction of the NCTR receiver and the support structure to enhance the cost-effectiveness and weather resistance of the receiver system. Comparative detoxification tests are carried out with pre-pilot plant reactors of the CPC and the NCTR type using heterogeneous and homogenous photocatalysis for the detoxification of artificial waste water containing cyanide or hydrazine. Based on the results of the tests with the pre-pilot plant scale reactor a NCTR pilot plant has been installed for the treatment of waste water containing hydrazine from rocket test facilities at DLR site Lampoldshausen, Germany. The NCTR pilot plant consists of a 32 m² NCTR receiver and a pumping unit for batch processing of 1 m³ of the rocket test facility waste water. First results of the pilot plant treatment tests will be presented. The new NCTR type solar collector seems to be a promising design for solar water technology on the way to achieve an economically applicable solar photocatalytic waste water treatment system.