&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/540/MR-96/504
July 1997
SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
Demonstration Etalletin
High Voltage Electron Beam Technology
High Voltage Environmental Applications, Inc.
Technology Description: The high voltage electron beam
(E-beam) technology was developed by High Voltage Environ-
mental Applications, Inc. (HVEA), to destroy organic compounds
in liquid wastes. This technology irradiates water with a beam of
high-energy electrons, causing the formation of three primary
transient reactive species: aqueous electrons, hydroxyl radicals,
and hydrogen radicals. Target organic compounds are either
mineralized or broken down into low molecular weight com-
pounds primarily by these species.
Figure 1 shows a schematic of the HVEA E-beam system (model
M25W-48S). The system is housed in an 8- by 48-ft trailer and is
rated for a maximum flow rate of 50 gal/min. The E-beam system
includes the following components: a strainer basket, an influent
pump, the E-beam unit, a cooling air processor, a blower, and a
control console not shown in the figure.
After particulates are removed from the influent by the strainer
basket, the influent pump transfers contaminated water to the
E-beam unit. This unit is made up of the following components:
an electron accelerator, a scanner, a contact chamber, and lead
shielding. The electron accelerator is capable of generating an
accelerating voltage of 500 kV and a maximum beam current of
about 42 mA, which results in a maximum accelerator power
rating of 21 kW. A pyramid-shaped scanner deflects the E-beam,
causing the beam to scan the surface of the water as it flows
through the contact chamber located beneath the scanner. Lead
shielding surrounds the E-beam unit to prevent emission of x-
rays. Also, a titanium window separates the scanner from the
contact chamber to allow a vacuum to be maintained in the
scanner. The E-beam significantly heats the titanium window,
which is cooled by air recirculated through the contact chamber.
The air is conditioned by a cooling air processor.
Waste Applicability: The E-beam technology is applicable for
treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semivolatile
organic 'compounds (SVOCs) in liquid wastes, including ground
water, wastewater, drinking water, and landfill leachate.
E-beam
.., unit
Treated
water
Contaminated
ground water
Electron
accelerator
Lead shielding
Scanner
Contact chamber
Influent
samp/ing Effluent
port sampling
port
Influent pump
Cooling air line
Cooling air processor
Figure 1. HVEA E-beam treatment system schematic.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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leTi'S. I._. , _- -
* Su'ring'two cjiffirenf periods "totaling" 3 week's"" Fri"
_...„.. ^id"HoWrnbeFl994. During the demonstration, the
im~syslimJriea!e8l afJoyt'TOioSO gaf of M-afea ground water'"
^jVJriQSuX^.Cfi.P.nSiiR^! 9,rou,n,^"^v^el contami-'
ilofoefliene fTCE) and" tetrachloroethene '(PCE],
i'il'iOO'S
~ resp'ectivelyJ The ground water also
levels (40 ug/L) of cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE).
- - _Ji;.,Tr. :-.-:; :. ' I,.;: ^. I .-
Dffloswe'per^^e^fp'eyamate trie'HvEA trea't-
jr rUns^usiiSrunspjlked ground water
ked ground water. Toward the end of the
adjusted" the mfljuenjF delivery system _to
.. -miillilftw, ,-< - em performance^ One oTttielfbur unspiked
>afef runsand two of the nine spiked ground-water runs
the improved delivery system.
iSSjHfJlBP'T " " "II
ground-water rurisC "the ground water was
1 JJ-trich|oroethane (TCA)j
' ' ' " :, h "I, V i!"1 '' Jllj''
• - •::•{; i" I"*; I n| ; •! 4 !i g^l
"i1 „„"''!!,' "i;. J"!
i|:^^ Ifiii: n
"' " roach: The E-beam technology was derri-
River Site
^jilJtlji ij,,!,!,;;';,;,;
t cl^djng benzene, toluene, etfiylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX).
;iese compounds were chosen either because they are rela-
'. difficult to remove using technologies such as the E-beam
j'employ free radical chemistry (DCA, TCA, chloroform, and
1"'"" or because they are common ground-water contaminants
. Yhe Ihftueri! concentrations of these spiking compounds
l from 1(30 to 500 (Tg/L.
;::i^. I;1"'i'V',! ' 'i'1" ii!!!!!!;!1!!!:!,' I":1!:!1!1!!!!!'. ".iHli, l,fiili' 'iWK^.iwfe'.IH lljii • ;•' ':ll;'ii,: ii|i':I'llii 'iiJMililitii:,!;;.'
! , :
iif i 'ii'iii ''iiiiniiihiiiii iiiinii if i'i",, ,• «'i ,,„»',¥'* in'if ,i »i I;«,",I;IIH
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