Modeling of phenol decomposition induced by pulsed corona discharge in water

In this paper a chemical kinetics model of phenol decomposition in water by electrical discharge is presented. The model considers 69 reactions with 26 radicals, ions and molecules. The densities of the species participating in the chemical reactions were calculated with a set of first order differential equations describing the chemical conversions caused by the energy of the corona pulse in the water solution of phenol. Results of our calculations are in good agreement with experimental and modelling results obtained by Joshi et al. We found that reactions of phenol decomposition products, such as phenol-OH-adduct radicals, catechol, hydroquinone and resorcinol, do not influence the discharge driven phenol decomposition rate.