Development of a Cavitating Jet System for Removal of Pesticides and Other Pollutants From Wastewater Discharge

Dynaflow, Inc., proposes the development of a novel jet-induced cavitation process for the removal of various pollutants¿including pesticides from wastewater discharge¿ that would be economical, readily applicable to both large- and small-scale systems, and that does not produce potentially hazardous by-products of chlorination and ozonation. Ultrasonically induced cavitation is known to be capable of producing reactions in water resulting in organic compound oxidation, and generally in accelerating various chemical reactions. The generation of ultrasonic cavitation is, however, energy intensive and difficult to apply at practical scales. Recently, Dynaflow, Inc., demonstrated that jet-induced cavitation can oxidize selected organic compounds with two orders of magnitude greater energy efficiency than via ultrasonic means. Phase I will investigate the feasibility of using jet cavitation for the oxidation of selected pesticides and other toxic organic pollutants in typical industrial wastewater discharges. Concepts for implementation in moderate as well as large-scale systems and processes will be addressed, as will the potential costs associated with such systems. Phase II will consider a broader range of pollutants and pesticides, a detailed parametric study to obtain optimization relations, scaling laws, and engineering issues of implementation into practical-scale systems.